You say "run a lowest priority" under Windows - why would that be fastest?
Typo?
d.

"Steven Pigeon" <ste### [at] videotronca> wrote in message
news:40b3af77$1@news.povray.org...
>
> "Stefan Viljoen" <rylan@<deletehis> wrote in message
> news:40b38da4@news.povray.org...
> > It seems that Windows has nicer programs (Moray for example) for
designing
> > scenes, but is not so hot on high-demand traces (big operating system
> > memory/cpu time footprint - you cannot "switch off" the GUI).
>
> If you have two (or more) computers, you can use Windows XP (or 2000)
> to run GUI-Based design tools such as <insert your favorite here>, and use
> a slave computer to do the very long renders.
>
> > In
> > comparison, Linux seems to offer more CPU cycles (run it in text mode
for
> > tracing, kill processes you don't need) and more stability (I've seen
> Linux
> > systems stay up for weeks under a heavy PovRay load).
>
> I find it not true. Both give you roughly 99% of the CPU when
> rendering at lower than normal priority. Just make sure you have
> plenty of RAM. Photons and radiosity need lots of memory. Get
> 1G of ram (or more.) Run PovRay at maximum nice level (on Linux)
> or lowest priority (on windows) and you'll be happy :)
>
> As for raw rendering power, both versions (windows and linux) of
> PovRay are roughly equivalent. The CPU you'll be using is the key
> factor, not the OS/PovRay combination.
>
> > What do you use? It seems to me the best combination is design in
Windows,
> > final render in Linux. Anybody else do it this way?
>
> I do. I have a slave-box running linux 2.4, 2GHz Athlon XP 2400
> CPU + 1G of ram. Works fine with me.
>
> > I've had frequent problems using PovRay 3.5 under Win98SE and have
> regularly
> > left an overnight trace running only to check in the morning and find
that
> > Windows had crashed. Are the newer Windows operating systems more stable
> > for POV?
>
> XP is about as stable as Linux, as far as I can tell. I have no rogue
> drivers causing random blue-screen-o'-death, and the computer runs
> for months between reboots. Having a few G of RAM as helps plenty.
> The Linux box also runs for months.
>
> Ah, of course, I have UPSes to be safe from random
> power failures :p They're not that expensive, you should
> definitely get one if you plan to do renders that take
> days/weeks/months.
>
>
> Best,
>
>     S.
>
>
> >
> > Thanks!
> > -- 
> > Stefan Viljoen
> > Software Support Technician
> > Polar Design Solutions
>
>

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