Sid
... Your XP example doesn't surprise me at all though. What iteration of x86 was your Linux software compiled for? I mean X, your WM, your apps and the kernel? ...
Craig Box
I can only assume that it's an i686 kernel and i386 apps. Fairly standard. ...
Comparing WinXP vs i686 kernel+i386 apps is flawed. There appears to be an assumption in the Linux world that "the kernel is all that needs to be optimised -- the apps don't matter". I think this is an invalid asumption: the cpu spends much more time executing user space code. And it isn't just the apps, it is the X window system as well that needs to be compiled to the target arch. (I'm guessing, the graphics card driver you had was probably an appropriately compiled binary?) Your comparison was of WinXP running on a 500 mhz i686 and a Unix-like system running on a 500 mhz i386 (except for the tiny kernel). Perhaps you could test another distribution, say Yoper. Unfortunately, many reviews have the kernel/app compilation targets you assume. I suppose given the default binaries from many distributors, most people _are_ running X/Kde/OOo on old hardware. :-) /sid.