Re: Building a rackmount looping computer as an alternative to the Receptor for Mobius

[Kim Flint <kflint@loopers-delight.com>]

At 07:59 AM 10/15/2005, Jeff Larson wrote:
>Travis Hartnett wrote:
> > Nah--hard drives aren't designed to last more than a few years, the
> > motherboard and power supply batteries likewise.
>
>Hard drive, debatable.  Motherboard, nonsense.  Batteries, yes.
>Power cord, no.

Sorry, that is not correct. A motherboard designed today is not designed 
to 
last 10 years. The probability is very low that it would last that long. 
On 
the other hand, a motherboard from 10 years ago will quite likely still 
work fine today.

As the semiconductor industry and the computer industry have commoditized, 
understanding of component reliability has become very, very good. We know 
quite well how to estimate the lifetime of a pc motherboard given the 
expected operating conditions and components used. We know exactly how 
much 
the number of years of average lifetime will cost us in terms of 
performance and price and customer reaction, and we make that calculation 
for each product.

In the face of unrelenting competition, reliability and average lifetime 
has gradually been traded for performance and price. Acceptable lifetime 
standards have dropped considerably from what they were 10 years ago. I 
doubt that anybody in the computer industry today would ship a part with 
an 
MTBF of 10 years. They would say, "hey we can squeeze more performance out 
of that!" (or cost)

And if you think spending $4000 on a laptop changes this equation, all I 
have to say to you is, "Thanks!"

kim



______________________________________________________________________
Kim Flint                     | Looper's Delight
kflint@loopers-delight.com    | http://www.loopers-delight.com