Specifications
10
per processor chip? Right now it looks
like the trend says no. Microsoft has
already said for its programs that are
licensed on a per processor basis it will
continue doing so and not go to a per
processor core basis. Also to consider
in upgrading both Intel and AMD
systems, you may have software you
need to activate that logs the system
components. Upgrading processors and
motherboards can cause these programs
to say that this is now a new computer
you are running the program on, which
you are not authorized to do, and refuse
to run. This could include your operating
system. Check with your program’s
publisher/manufacturer to see what their
policy on this is. Home and office use
policies have been known to be different.
So when did these marvelous dual-
core processors appear? For Intel it was
the second quarter of 2005. For AMD
it was mid-2005 for the high level
Opterons and a little later in 2005 for
the desktop Athlon 64s. As you might
expect, the price is originally high, but
then it should drop significantly as time
goes on.
We are moving this year to dual-
core processors. They will improve the
speed of computers, and reduce the
related heat and power requirement
issues. They will be originally for those
high-end power users, but over the next
few years they could easily become the
norm. You can see them in computer
stores near you this year.
Timothy Everingham is a member
of TUGNET, California, and can be
reached at <
teveringham@acm.orgteveringham@acm.org>.
He is also CEO of Timothy Everingham
Consulting in Azusa, CA <http://
home.earthlink.net/~teveringham
http://
home.earthlink.net/~teveringham>.
There is no restriction against any
non-profit group using this article as
long as it is kept in context with proper
credit given the author. The Editorial
Committee of the Association of
Personal Computer User Groups
(APCUG), an international
organization of which this group is a
member, brings this article to you.
Wi-Fi Wireless Internet
And Network
Availability
By Ira Wilsker
Recently, one of my daughters called
me from a major city and asked me
where she could find some free
“hotspots” or wireless “Wi-Fi” locations
where she could get free broadband
wireless internet access. She gave me
her street address, and within moments
I found several nearby locations where
she could access the internet for free
using the wireless “802.11b” PCMCIA
card she had with her notebook
computer. She told me which hotspot
she selected, and I gave her the “SSID,”
or “Service Set Identifier,” a simple
code, usually a name, that identifies a
local hotspot.
I recently purchased a new notebook
computer for another daughter, and this
computer came with an Intel Centrino
chipset, which provided integral
wireless internet access, wherever
available, whether at home or on the
road. As she travels around town, at
school, or away from home, she can
likely access the internet at high speeds.
I travel extensively, and always take
my notebook computer with me, as I
often find it necessary to check my
e-mail, find restaurants, or locate other
information on the internet. Through
experience, I have found that many