All Things Microsoft > Microsoft Software
Muzzy, why does Windows rule?
BobTheHob:
[OFFTOPIC]@toadlife: thats the sweetest fucking avatar I have ever seen[/OFFTOPIC]
Aloone_Jonez:
--- Quote from: jtpenrod ---Today valves are only used in very high quality audio amplifiers because they're less noisy than transistors...
I strongly suspect fad appeal here. As they say, "First impressions are lasting impressions", and the first solid state audio amps blew chunks. That hasn't been true for a very long time now.
One of these "very high quality" audio amps is the Cary CAD-300SEI triode amplifier. This has a 2A3 power triode connected as a Class A(1) amp. Being asymetrical, it lets through even as well as odd order harmonics. That's not a good design as it has 3% THD at 9 Watts, at a cost of $3400. It is easy to get the THD down to 0.001% with solid state at a fraction of that cost. I'll bet they're still laughing all the way to the bank on that one. :D
While the valves themselves may have outstanding linearity, you then ruin it by connecting them to a very non-linear silicon steel core transformer. As these are low gain devices, there isn't enough open loop gain for sufficient inverse feedback to linearize that transformer. Nor is the necessary construction (big steel core and lots of wire) for good low frequency response good for high frequency response where the core losses really build up, and the stray capacitance of all that wire interferes with high frequency operation. Given that, solid state clearly is better. The clueless audiophile who gets ripped off to the tune of $3400 for inferior tech isn't going to do anything other than rave on about how much "better" his "valve" amp is. It's too painful to admit the obvious: He wuz had. (Yeah, he's a lot like the typical Windows XP user in that regard. ;) )
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Do you know what? I've never really thought about it, I just acepted that valves are more linear than transistors. Having said that nothing beats traveling wave tubes, klystrons and magnetrons in low noise high powered VHF and microwave amplifier and oscilator applications.
--- Quote from: jtpenrod ---
If you build the simplest FM transmitter possible consisting of a 1 transistor colpitts oscillator it will be very unstable compared to a high quality stereo transmitter built with a special purpose IC containing I don't know how many 100s possibly 1000s of transistors. Having said this the simpler design is far easier to troubleshoot and cheaper in general so which one you use will depend on the application.
That isn't what I was referring to. In this case, additional complexity solves a problem: frequency stability and base band sound quality at the receiver. It's not the same thing as adding more and more bullshit "features" that the vast majority of users won't use, or which serve no real purpose, to an op-sys, for no other reason than to point to the "latest and greatest" in order to get the customer to buy something he doesn't need. Given the typical computer useage, Win 95 is more than sufficient for the vast majority of users.
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Fair enough, but I wouldn't say Windows 95, maybe they'd put up with some NT Windows 95 is just far too unstable. :D
toadlife:
--- Quote from: BobTheHob ---[OFFTOPIC]@toadlife: thats the sweetest fucking avatar I have ever seen[/OFFTOPIC]
--- End quote ---
YEah. It's funny, but very offensive to some people at the same time. I don't normally like to use it, because it can really offend people, and I really don't dislike Linux - I just really like the BSDs.
Here is the source. I don't know who the original author is.
BobTheHob:
--- Quote from: toadlife ---YEah. It's funny, but very offensive to some people at the same time. I don't normally like to use it, because it can really offend people, and I really don't dislike Linux - I just really like the BSDs.
Here is the source. I don't know who the original author is.
--- End quote ---
Thats great, yea, I'm the same way, I love BSD. I dunno if you like it or not but here is a background I got from a Russian site that I use on all my BSD boxes http://img51.echo.cx/img51/7808/bpimg018yj.jpg
The site has mostly BSD backgrounds but it has some linux and Mac OS as well. http://usunet.ru/ug/thumbnails.php?album=11 they also have a background featuring the BSD convention girl, whom I know alot of you are partial to :D
WMD:
You mean my BSD convention girl? :bsd:
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