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Flore W
4,744 PointsCheaper to use a powerful computer to finish a task quickly than it is to use a low power computer that takes more time?
This is a Quiz question to which I got a false answer.
The answer is YES (it can be cheaper to use a powerful computer to finish a task quickly), but I am not sure why. With everything being equal (same number of requests), we end up paying the same if we use a large instance that costs more, but processes it faster, compared to using a small instance that costs less but would take more processing time. Actually, using the bigger instance could even result into lower capacity utilisation rate, so we'd end up paying more.
Can someone help me understand?
1 Answer
Steven Parker
231,184 PointsThe example in the video of friends sharing a hotel room may have seemed a bit obscure (it did to me). But I think the basic idea is that if you have other business processes that depend on the results of some task, finishing that task quickly might have a value to you that exceeds the difference in cost of using a less expensive but slower way of completing that task.
Of course, the savings will vary with each case, but the important thing about the quiz question is that it says "Sometimes it’s cheaper...", which makes the question true.
Flore W
4,744 PointsFlore W
4,744 PointsOK, got the nuance, thanks Steven