In message <20000727174941.87612DE0@mabelode.imrryr.org>, "R. C. Dowdeswell" writes:

> >I just tried "file->new->navigator window" a few times with "systat vmstat"
> >running on the console and CPU idle never dropped below 96%.  So it
> >doesn't look like memory bandwidth, zero-fill or otherwise, is the
> >problem.  It also isn't hitting the disks at all.
> 
> Okay, I've installed Netscape 4.73 locally on my PWS433a and although
> file->new->navigator window takes human perceptable time it is
> under a second.  I tried to look at systat, but it was all over
> too quickly.  :-)

Sounds like a good problem to have.  :-)

> So, in order to find out what the problem is we should examine the
> variables in the equation:
> 
> 	o I have Netscape set to `blank page' on start-up.  You might
> 	  try this, perhaps netscape is trying to do something with the
> 	  default page that takes a while.  [sure this is a stab in the
> 	  dark.]

I switched to blank page on start-up, no difference.
My home page is just a few links anyway.  Lean and fast.

> 	o My Netscape is 4.73 while yours is 4.51.  I don't imagine
> 	  that'd make a large difference, but who knows.

I'll try that.  I'm guessing there is more room for improvement
in Netscape than there is in NetBSD.  :-)  

> Also, there are several datapoints that might make the situation
> a bit more clear.  Mainly, who is chewing up the CPU while the
> window is starting?

No one is chewing up the CPU, it is 96-97% idle.  Assuming that
systat is reasonably trustworthy.

> it might make
> sense to ktrace Netscape and open a new window and see if you can
> see what it is doing

If a newer version of Netscape doesn't help I'll try that.