Software Bloat Fuels Demand for More Powerful Hardware, Podcast Explores the Issue
Prague, Czech Republic – Modern software is ballooning in size and resource consumption, forcing users to continually upgrade their hardware despite often incremental improvements in functionality. A recent podcast from Živě.cz delves into this phenomenon, dubbed “bloatware,” examining its causes, impact, and potential solutions.
The trend is stark: Windows 95 functioned with a mere 4 MB of RAM, while todayS Windows 11 recommends a minimum of 4 GB. While some increase is attributable to software complexity,the hosts of the Živě.cz podcast argue that much of the growth is needless, with manny applications remaining fundamentally unchanged for decades while their resource demands skyrocket. A prime example cited is WhatsApp for Windows, which currently consumes 100 MB of memory but is slated to transition to a web-based version potentially requiring ten times that amount-up to 700 MB.
The podcast dissects different types of bloatware, acknowledging the subjective nature of its definition and its consequences for system performance. A common counter-argument-that hardware is inexpensive-is addressed, with host Peter noting his recent purchase of 64 GB of RAM due to its affordability.Though, co-host Luke points out that laptops present a more challenging scenario, frequently enough lacking upgradeability and incurring significant surcharges for increased memory capacity. Peter suggests building a desktop computer as a preferable choice.
The Živě.cz podcast covers the following segments:
* 02:02 – Swelling Codes
* 17:39 – Excess Functions
* 33:44 - integrated Applications
* 45:34 – Hysteria?
The podcast is available here.
Sources and further details, including music by Nihilora, are available on the Živě.cz website.
