Hi there, I just checked memory and CPU consumption on my two-core cpu PC with 2 GB RAM.
Test instructions
Open Browser with timing analysis (Linux command “time firefox”)
Click away start page
Invoke Runbox 6/7 login page; adjust zoom to 70% (Runbox 7) or 100% (RMM 6)
Log in to Runbox
Let it run for 15 seconds
Scroll down for about 100 messages (beginning of the month)
Let it run for 15 seconds
Check Memory footprint (Linux command “top”; freeze top view)
Click Log out
Close browser before Log out page has loaded.
Results RMM6
Raw:
real 1m17,342s
user 0m31,203s
sys 0m3,980s
305604 firefox
179268 Web Content
77468 Web Content
Explanation:
I needed 1 m 17 s to test RMM6. In this while, the browser firefox took 35 seconds of 1 CPU to load the pages and scroll up and down. Firefox used 305604+179268+77468 = 562340 kB of memory at the end of the test.
Observation: When browser was open and there was no scrolling/loading then all CPUs were shown idle in my cpu indicator.
Results Runbox 7
Raw:
real 1m22,657s
user 1m12,300s
sys 0m11,543s
256284 Web Content
295556 firefox
77644 Web Content
Explanation:
I needed 1 m 23 s to test Runbox 7. In this while, the browser firefox took 1 m 24 s of 1 CPU to load the pages and scroll up and down. Firefox used 256284+295556+77644 = 629484 kB of memory at the end of the test.
Observation: When browser was open there was no time when all CPUs were shown idle in my cpu indicator.
Discussion
This test as shown in “test instructions” is not perfect but gives a coarse hint on what’s happening. While we see a higher usage of ressources of new Runbox version in this first coarse test, it can be assumed that for most other test instructions which could be invented and which aim some real-usage-behaviour will demonstrate the ressource usage gap.
Conclusion
This test shows up a general trend of software using more and more resources by time thus making old PCs, if still working, obsolete because they cann’t anymore fulfil the tasks which they could ten years ago.
I recently saw a presentation on some scientific approach to measure efficiency of software, it was at “Bits&Bäume” conference: see event description.
Great that you took the time to test this! We really appreciate that
Generally Runbox 7 does a lot more than RMM6 as it first fetches a listing of your latest emails, then download the Index of your email in chunks to the browser.
This will of course take a lot of resources if you have a lot of emails, but you gain a lot of speed from it. But it might not be for everyone.
If you are very constrained in regards to download speed or on data, then it is better to use just the server index in Runbox 7.
In addition to the unmatched speed experienced when using a local index, you get the benefit of offline support because both the index and preloaded message content (of messages in the list that are in view) are available locally.
Sorry, but I don’t understand at all the reasons for Runbox 7 development.
I suppose that all, or at least the majority of users have some email client installed.
To have sometimes a look into the webmail page is Runbox 6 not OK?
It is no problem to use RMM6. Many of our users love it.
It is more that Runbox 7 could be a first choice for a lot more users that are not happy about RMM6. It is a modern interface that also has some new technology maybe not seen before in such a client.
There are probably people more knowledgeable than me about e-mail on this forum, but in my experience
e-mail clients are only used for work these days, where e-mail sync to archive systems, 3. party calendars and such.
I don’t know of anyone who had a e-mail client for personal use, as that would be a security risk, and add nothing of value. (in my opinion)
I say this, because I would be genuinely interested in knowing, if I’m wrong.
Do Runbox keep statistics on device/platform?
edit: was trying to reply to the post above, but I guess it doesn’t matter…
I must contradict to the word “personal use”. - What is personal today? There are many people out there which don’t have “one job, family, car, flat, preferred supermarket”. But which have to constantly look for contracts. I think they may have a mixed professional and private life.
And there are people which are active in clubs/associations.
And even if not: if you have to manage tenancies or flat/landlord, online purchases, job applications, it may be helpful to have some offline copy of your mail available.
What security risk do you mean? I didn’t think of mail clients as unsecure so far.
This confluence of different types of data relating to various aspects of our lives is exactly what we ultimately aim to help users manage more efficiently with Runbox 7.
Much of our professional and personal communication represents actions, and we think that developing a fast and flexible webmail integrating various communication methods with message/task management can help make our digital communication much more efficient across platforms and devices.
Adding one data point: Runbox 7 in Firefox on Windows 10 showed high CPU usage in task manager and the laptop fan was blowing hard. Switching to Runbox 6 fixed both problems in seconds. Is there some setting I could change?
