On Second Thought

Several readers questioned my suggestion about using a USB flash memory thumb drive to add zip to a computer’s operating system (“Boost Your System Memory With a USB Flash Memory Stick,” June 09, page 86). On further investigation, I am scratching that suggestion.

I’ve since learned that not only doesn’t the addition of flash memory live up to Microsoft’s claims about significantly boosting operating system speed by increasing RAM, but also, as pointed out in the above item, the use of a solid-state memory device in a task that is constantly accessed is unwise because those memories have a finite read/write cycle life, and its use in a RAM function means it will be cycled every time RAM is accessed.