The numbers game

Isn't all this by and large irrelevant? Does it REALLY matter if my processor runs 9.6GHz faster? The difference to 99.99% of applications is unnoticeable and for what I do, probably never. What concerns me more is stability and accuracy, less heat generation, less power consumption and a processor that doesn't go out of date for years to come.

Anyone who says they need a super processor should look at the efficiency of the software (bloatware) they are running. Try ditching Windoze for a start. And as nobody has brought out new ground-breaking development tools for years, can we assume that the current generation of compiler cores are at least 15 years old with a load of "user-friendliness" built on top? How many developers can truly say with hand on heart, that they optimise their code and use code optimizers before unleashing their wares? I know we don't and none of the organisations I have worked for do either (due to time pressures) and I would imagine that the developers at M'soft are exactly like the rest of us and trust the compiler to do it for us. Ha ha!