Moore's law informally predicts that "microprocessor" processing power will double every 18 months. (Originally it was 12 months and related to transistors in an IC but it was extended long ago to the currently accepted meaning.) For many years people have been saying that it can't last, but Moore's law just kept on being true. Each 3 years you could expect a 4 times increase in processing power. The same figures *roughly* also applied to disk capacity, RAM size on a typical system and CD rom speed fwiw. However, A year ago if I'd bough the latest and greatest PC it would have had a Pentium IV with a 3 GHZ processor. This Christmas if you want the latest and greatest it may be a Pentium IV with a 3.3 GHz processor. 3 GHz is still so close to the leading edge that it's hardly worthwhile. The Pentium IV 4 GHZ which was originally to be introduced late 2004, and then early 2005 has been cancelled. The Pentium IV 3.6 GHz will be introduced sometime on 2005. Instead of the 4 GHz part they are going to introduce their "dual core" processor. Now the new "Prescott" processor does have an 800 MHz FSB as opposed to the 400 or ?533? MHz of previous models so there will be some extra speed there, but not a vast amount. But overall the advances seem to have stumbled. Dual core is NOT an advance along the Moore's law curve - it's desperate (albeit possibly effectual) cheating. And the competition do not seem to be taking the opportunity to leapfrog over Intel and take the lead in processor speed. Something fundamental seems to have happened. There was nothing sacrosanct about Moore's law. There was no reason that it had to work and no reason why we should be disturbed when it doesn't anymore. After all it was just an observation that seemed to fit the facts without any known basis. Just like Quantum Mechanics is :-) Russell McMahon _______________________________________________ http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist