🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sun, 16 May 2004 16:39:26 +0100, Zero_G wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I'm using SuSE 8.2 Professional (free magazine DVD version) on an Athlon
> 700MHz and thinking of saving up for a Dual Processor system.
> Is this even slightly worth the comparatively enormous outlay for a home
> user?
> 
> You see I've read a lot about various software support for this type of
> hardware and it loks like there are competing solutions to implement
> parallel/SPM hardware at the moment.
> 
> I understand that gcc has libraries to allow for compiling software to be
> multi threaded but the source needs to be written with multi-threading in
> mind.
> 
> Is there a list of packages with sources that are optimised for dual
> processors?
> 
> This would be an extremely useful variable in justifying the extra outlay.
> 
> Thanks.

The biggest benefit would be that can have more than one program actively
using CPU cycles at the same time. Very little software is optimized for
multi processors, and if it is, they still have to communicate. But, you
could, for instance, be doing a large compile and not notice any
degradation on your web browser going at the same time.

In article <2gpr6mF5dk8nU1@uni-berlin.de>, ray <ray@zianet.com> wrote:
>
>The biggest benefit would be that can have more than one program actively
>using CPU cycles at the same time. Very little software is optimized for

For me the benefit is that dual CPU motherboards tend to be better
engineered than single CPU motherboards.

However, I haven't used anything but a dual CPU motherboard since about 1995,
almost all Supermicro.

Mike Squires

-- 

Mike Squires (mikes at cs.indiana.edu)     317 233 9456 (w) 812 333 6564 (h)
mikes at siralan.org             546 N Park Ridge Rd., Bloomington, IN 47408

Zero_G wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I'm using SuSE 8.2 Professional (free magazine DVD version) on an Athlon
> 700MHz and thinking of saving up for a Dual Processor system.
> Is this even slightly worth the comparatively enormous outlay for a home
> user?

Sure.  But I never spend a whole lot on my dual systems.  My wife's
dually cost us $700USD (dual MP2000+ with 512M, onboard SCSI, 36G 10K
drive).  I recently purchased a dual 2.8Ghz Xeon with 1G, onboard
SCSI and a 120G IDE drive for $1225.  My latest purchase, dual 3.2Ghz
Xeons, 2G, 3 x 15K 18G SCSI drives for a little less than $2000.

If you shop for good deals, you can get what you want fairly cheap.

> 
> You see I've read a lot about various software support for this type of
> hardware and it loks like there are competing solutions to implement
> parallel/SPM hardware at the moment.

uhhh... what?  I guess... err... what?

> 
> I understand that gcc has libraries to allow for compiling software to be
> multi threaded but the source needs to be written with multi-threading in
> mind.

Biggest mistake a person can make is to assume that dual processors
require threaded processes.  Realize that EVERY process is assigned
a CPU when run... so on a Linux box, with 20-30 processes (these
are proceses that are started behind your back) will be spread
across CPUs resulting in better performance and a much smoother
feel.

> 
> Is there a list of packages with sources that are optimised for dual
> processors?

Any program that uses threads OR any program that consists of multiple
processes will benefit from multiple CPUs.

> 
> This would be an extremely useful variable in justifying the extra outlay.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 

Word of warning, once you experience a dual processor system, you'll
NEVER want to go back.

On Mon, 17 May 2004 01:28:47 +0000, Chris Cox wrote:

> Zero_G wrote:
>> Hello,
>> 
>> I'm using SuSE 8.2 Professional (free magazine DVD version) on an Athlon
>> 700MHz and thinking of saving up for a Dual Processor system.
>> Is this even slightly worth the comparatively enormous outlay for a home
>> user?
> 
> Sure.  But I never spend a whole lot on my dual systems.  My wife's
> dually cost us $700USD (dual MP2000+ with 512M, onboard SCSI, 36G 10K
> drive).  I recently purchased a dual 2.8Ghz Xeon with 1G, onboard
> SCSI and a 120G IDE drive for $1225.  My latest purchase, dual 3.2Ghz
> Xeons, 2G, 3 x 15K 18G SCSI drives for a little less than $2000.
> 
> If you shop for good deals, you can get what you want fairly cheap.
> 
>> 
>> You see I've read a lot about various software support for this type of
>> hardware and it loks like there are competing solutions to implement
>> parallel/SPM hardware at the moment.
> 
> uhhh... what?  I guess... err... what?
> 
>> 
>> I understand that gcc has libraries to allow for compiling software to be
>> multi threaded but the source needs to be written with multi-threading in
>> mind.
> 
> Biggest mistake a person can make is to assume that dual processors
> require threaded processes.  Realize that EVERY process is assigned
> a CPU when run... so on a Linux box, with 20-30 processes (these
> are proceses that are started behind your back) will be spread
> across CPUs resulting in better performance and a much smoother
> feel.
> 
>> 
>> Is there a list of packages with sources that are optimised for dual
>> processors?
> 
> Any program that uses threads OR any program that consists of multiple
> processes will benefit from multiple CPUs.
> 
>> 
>> This would be an extremely useful variable in justifying the extra outlay.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> 
> 
> Word of warning, once you experience a dual processor system, you'll
> NEVER want to go back.

I worked on a DELL dual 1.7 Xeon system with RH for a couple of years
before I retired - I have a single 2.4 P4 at home, and don't really miss
the DELL.

ray wrote:
...snippy..
> I worked on a DELL dual 1.7 Xeon system with RH for a couple of years
> before I retired - I have a single 2.4 P4 at home, and don't really miss
> the DELL.
> 

Again, if you are a "single tasker" (can only do one thing at a time),
then perhaps a dual processor system is not for you.  However, if you
were using a dual 2.4 Xeon, you'd change your mind quickly.

"Zero_G" <zero-g@deeptime.fsnet.co.uk> writes:

> I'm using SuSE 8.2 Professional (free magazine DVD version) on an Athlon
> 700MHz and thinking of saving up for a Dual Processor system.

> Is this even slightly worth the comparatively enormous outlay for a home
> user?

No because it also has disadvantages:
- Not all drivers are SMP safe.
- Drivers and multithreaded applications may have bugs that are only
triggered on a SMP system.
- Power management does not work on SMP. 

> I understand that gcc has libraries to allow for compiling software to be
> multi threaded but the source needs to be written with multi-threading in
> mind.
> 
> Is there a list of packages with sources that are optimised for dual
> processors?

Few "desktop" programs benefit from SMP. You get the most out of SMP
if you have batch jobs and want to increase throughput. In this case
you might consider buying two single CPU machines or one SMP
machine. The SMP machine has only to be installed once, it needs less
space, a single process can use all memory and the load is
automatically balanced between the two CPUs. A SMP machine may be a
little more or a little less expensive than two single CPU machines.

Moritz


-- 
Dipl.-Phys. Moritz Franosch
http://www1.physik.tu-muenchen.de/lehrstuehle/T35/