Interesting reading, all those answers.

But I think most people answering here are missing the point. The question, as I read it is not (only at least) about really giving the developers a P1 to make faster code.

The point is that a lot of software today is just as slow or even slower than the seftware we used back in last millennium in spite of very much more powerful computers. Judging from the answers here most developers don't get that hint. This is very obvious in web applications. This site is a very good exception, but many sites are having a front page in 1 mb. What do I get for waiting for that to download? I don't know. I think it seems to be about an ignorance from the developer not respecting the time the user need to spend on it, or even worse pay for if you pay per mb. The thing is that all those web pages is not even containing high resolution pictures. Often it is just some crap code delivered from some development-environment. Well, of course it is not crap code I guess, but it gives no gain to me as user.

In general it is not only about optimizing the code, but just as much about choosing to not include things slowing down more than the it gives.

A few weeks ago I started a laptop from 1995. Windows 3.x was up and running in no time. The database I should get some data from started before the enter key was fully released (almost at least).

I know that we get a lot more from our software today, but we also have computers many times faster. Why doesn't the development industry decide to keep the speed of software from 1995 and make people buy new hardware because they want new functionality. Today it is more like the everyday-programs and web sites forces people to buy new hardware to do exactly the same things as they did earlier. But of course in a fancier way.

I have to say I think the Linux development seems to handle this better. Linux distributions has for many years been quite far ahead windows even in fanciness with many eye candy things like animated windows. The thing is that they have in spite of that worked on the computers of today and even yesterday. Not only on cutting edge hardware.

By now I guess many developers have an unhealthy level of adrenalin. Yes, I found a way to give back some frustration from all waiting in front of:

office sql server (starting up management console) arcgis (starting up and using) acrobat reader (starting up) agresso (using, at least as web application) windows (staring and using, well I haven't tried 7 yet) .net web pages (downloading)

and so on

I feel good :-)

Cheers

Nicklas