Process Lasso or Bill2's Process Manager?

Anyone tried both? What's the difference?

lasso: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Process_Lasso_d4050.html
bill2: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Bill2s_Process_Manager_d5991.html

I plan to install one of these on a 1.8GHz Dual Core laptop with 2.5GB of RAM. My goal is simply to restrict certain apps to one processor only thereby avoiding or minimizing the occasional 100% CPU freeze. Plus I want to give Dragon voice recognition software, AutoHotkey, and several other programs that have to respond quickly to be useful, a high or real-time priority, and non-essential apps low priority.

Also, sometimes a scheduled virus scan or something starts to run when I'm working on the computer, and that's fine if it runs, or can be made to run, in the unobtrusively, and use little CPU (low priority, one processor only) - but I'd like these same apps to then run at full speed if I leave the computer otherwise idle... And real-time protections should of course always function when not disabled; does it matter what priority they are set to?

Finally, the utility should help me take over the world: So Bill2 or the Lasso?

 

I mainly use CPU-Control
http://majorgeeks.com/CPU-Control_d5875.html

But I had an issue where it was conflicting with certain apps on several computers (not sure of the issues, maybe Ultramon app that I was using), so I gave Bill2's Process Manager a shot on them and it works quite well.

 

I'm trying out Bill2's Process Manager now. Still undecided about it. My initial impression is that this program will boost performance of mutli-core machines if you take the time to learn to apply it correctly and set it up manually. Otherwise, it may just get in the way and throttle the wrong programs - at least for dual-core laptops like mine; maybe the automatic settings work well as is for powerful quad-cores...

 

I'm still evaluating, but my initial impression so far this program will become a stable on my machine.

The bad:
-no english help file (french only, but interface is available in english)
-takes time to set up, which in my case involved pop-ups for each new process (learning mode) followed by decisions about rules to set for them - setting rules is fine, the "bad" is the time it takes i.e. this is not a set and forget type app
-some processes are probably slowed down unnecessarily unless you set the rules just right

The good:
-increased stability, smoother working computer because bill2 tends to curtail programs from running CPU to 100% (100% cpu = system freezes); however, this can slow some apps down too
-detects everything on my computer. Online Armor 3 Free is the only program so far that bill2 cannot control, and several WinXP processes; defrag.exe and dfrgntfs.exe in particular, reset to normal priority even when I tried boosting them today (fwiw, the only reason i realized they were even running was because bill2's learning mode alerted me to them).
-lets you set different priority/affinity for programs when they are active versus when they are minimized or hidden.
-let's you kill unwanted programs. for example, i have bill2 set to kill 'register this program now' type pop-up windows - i don't even see them anymore
-let's me automatically load and end my own hotkey scripts for various programs upon launch/exit of the given program (I use AutoHotkey)
-can create rules also for programs if they are inactive or overactive for a specified time, and there are other options that are shown in the attached screen shots, but I haven't used those yet
-doesn't use much resources itself on my computer.

usage observations:
-feels like it's learning, but maybe it just feels that way as I keep setting more rules etc.
-i tried playing with affinities, but that slowed everything down, so now i only restrict programs that can hog cpu for no reason to one core (so they can at most hog 50% of cpu = no freeze)
-for important, always-on programs, like anti-virus, etc. I set no rules - best to leave them be i think
-for non-crucial convenience programs, like Copernic Desktop Search, I set to 'below average' priority when minimized or hidden i.e. should only do indexing etc. when more important programs aren't in use
-i set programs meant for active use to 'above average' or 'high' priority. for example, i run RegShot (snapshots of the registry) with 'high' priotity because it only takes a minute to run, and while it's running, I don't actively use anything else; obviously background programs are there, but I want them to take the backseat during active tasks...

that's it for now...

 

I have Process Lasso installed on my Dell C840 w/ the 2.4 gig single-core Pentium 4 and 2 gigs of RAM, along with a 160 gig 5400 rpm hard drive. I find it really works nice for setting CPU priority on this older machine. Definitely makes it run quicker and I have never had this computer freeze-up while using it. Plus it's nice to be able to just hover over the icon in the taskbar to see what percentage of the CPU is being used along w/ the amount of RAM. I installed it on a couple other single-core processor computers w/ the same results. I suppose this isn't much help for someone who is having a problem w/ Process Lasso slowing their machine w/ a dual or quad-core CPU, but w/ the Pentium 4-M's I would recommend it. Hope this helps.