Hello.
I have just purchased CorelDraw X5 Home & Student because I expected some improvements over PhotoPaint 11 SA, which I was using before. The main reason was the announced multi-core support, which would - in theory - greatly benefit from my new 4-core computer (Win7 64bit).
I still have version 11 installed, so I compared it to X5. First I was amazed of how little has changed in the 8 years between the two versions. But I think I should start another thread about this; let's focus on multi-core support. I will mainly be talking about PhotoPaint, because I don't use CorelDraw and the other tools much.
In general there are two possible reasons to implement multi-treading in a software:
1. Classical multi-threading: Used to make the user interface responsible while the program is doing some work in the background. In this case the program performs two or more totally independent tasks. This even makes sense if there is only one CPU core.
2. Support of multiple CPU cores: A single function within a program is split up in order to be processed in parallel by all cores. The purpose of this is to reduce the time required to process one task.
The first kind of multi-threading was already implemented in version 11 or even in older versions (I don't have them installed now so I cannot test). For example you can work on a second file while the first file is saved or while a complex bitmap filter is calculated.
Now we live in the age of multi-core CPUs, and if a program is advertised with "more speed with new multi-core support", this usually refers to the second kind of multi-threading, while the first kind is taken for granted.
I installed a tool to display the work load of each of my four CPU cores, and then I checked how many of the funktions in PhotoPaint X5 can put 100% (or nearly 100%) load on all cores. With this method it is only possible to detect multi-core support if a feature in the software needs much time (at least a few seconds) to finish. But fast features requiring only a fraction of a second aren't of interest here, because the user wouldn't notice the difference between single-core and multi-core support anyway.
Here my results:
Painting with a very large brush: no multi-core support.
Apply about 50 of the approximately 100 bitmap effects: Only one (Stained Glass) has detectable multi-core support!
Corel Draw: create two objects with gradient fill and apply the blend tool to create a progression of intermediate objects. The rendering of the result takes about two seconds and does not make use of multiple cores.
Corel does not list the exact features which have multi-core support, but I found a few hints in the forums:
- Saving of files. This was already available in previous versions, as I mentioned above.
- Printing. Can't say anything, I never ever printed with Corel. Probably the same applies as to saving files.
- RAW import: Never did that either.
- Bitmap filters: That's a plain lie. It is true for a small percentage of the filters only.
Some users may be happy about the faster RAW import, but some of the most time consuming functions (vector graphics rendering and bitmap effects) don't run faster in X5.
In my opinion the user benefit of the current multi-core implementation is very close to null.
Or did I miss something? I wouldn't want to believe that the developers at Corel are lazy and the marketing guys are liars ;-)
Any other opinions about this?
Well John I'm out of luck again, my mother wont let me keep it in the house ( said something looks like that can't be house broke )
Yani said: It's either a memory issue or an ID 10 T user error. It ALWAYS is.
It's either a memory issue or an ID 10 T user error. It ALWAYS is.
Whose memory do you mean? The memories of the developers at Corel, because they forgot to continue the development of Corel Draw / Photo Paint in the past 10 years?
That's not true. There are many people in this forum that are tied into beta, the issues have nothing to do with the 'developers'. They have a LOT to do with restructuring of Corel post the companies failure caused primarily by trying to do too much and a successive set of rewrites to deal with numerous versions of windows. Don't blame the developers for what is a complex issue which should be put at the feet of past management.
To get to a point where a better product can be offered a huge rewrite of existing functions has been gradually occurring. That's been going on from version 12 forward. Great lumps of the product have been replaced.
And don't think for even one second that people in the beta team don't blast Corel to the max out of the view of the public. And have been doing so for years.
Users should certainly demand more but I haven't noticed any lazy developers, during months prior to releases these dudes are definitely working on weekends. It wouldn't surprise me if they were rolling out swags in the office and doing overnighters.
RunFlaCruiser said:Just don't forget to read the fine print. Never let your computer's anti-matter power supplies touch each other or an explosion will occur and then a black hole could engulf the planet.
LOL @ John!! I think I have started an epidemic here. Ever since I started being a nutter in the forums....one by one you guys started following in my footsteps.....first Jack, then Graewerld...Joe.....Silvio....now you....
EDIT: and how could I forget George? Although, George was a nutter long before I was....and then there is Yani....well he is the king of the nutcases...he was born that way! LOL
Hi,
anytime a better power supply provides a stable power and not being hold back.
The hardware will last longer.
The windows will boot faster
And you do not have to replace the hardware that often.