Quote:
Originally Posted by WanderingOak  Can flash memory be accessed as quickly as RAM? I was under the impression that it was more useful as storage because of the relatively slow access time. You might be able to run more programs, or programs requiring more RAM than what you currently have, but I do not think it will increase your computer's speed much. |
Actually, Flash has a few problems that keeps it from being a good choice to extend your RAM. Like you mentioned, it is slow, but most of the reason for that is due to the interface, not the memory itself.
The real problem comes from a limitation in the Flash chips. When you write to a memory register, that register starts to go bad... For a good, high-end Flash chip, it can be written to about 100,000 times before these bad sectors start destroying information... The unfortunate thing about capitalism is that we rarely see high-end goods.
If you used a Flash chip to extend out your memory, besides being slower, you'll end up replacing that card every couple of months, if not every couple of weeks.
Back on topic, though...
I've heard some great things about Vista, and some terrible things... I'll wait and see, and probably be forced to upgrade in about a year.