[sclug] Cheap'n'nasty Tesco Linux machines

[Matt Dainty]

* Phillip Chandler <phillip.chandler at ntlworld.com> [2008-03-14 09:28:31]:
> My understanding of Dual Core (pretty slim actually, but here goes) is
> that both are only used for things like multitasking and gaming etc. So
> theoretically if your a home user just wanting to do basic stuff like
> check email, surf, write letter to auntie Mildred in Australia, then
> dual core is a waste of money because to do the basics you would only be
> using one core. Therefore the 2nd core is redundant, the first one has
> to be running at 100% for other work to be transferred over to the send
> core. Dual core would also be perfect for places like NASA or a
> university doing vast computations.
> 
> If your using one for burning a dvd and the second for playing doom 3,
> then dual core kicks in and works great. But who would be burning a dvd
> and playing doom while their waiting ?
> 
> So my thinking here is that when they advertise a machine as dual core
> with a speed of "X" which is based on both cores working, then
> technically if your only going to be a home user (as described above)
> then in my mind your not going to be getting the speed stated, your only
> going to get the speed of one core, ie half the speed.
> 
> So the questions here are, do I sort of understand the concept of Dial
> Core ? Do I even sound like I know what Im going on about ? Is the idea
> above have some credibility ?

Erm, no, no, and thrice no. Sorry.

Your computer is always multitasking these days, just because you're not
running two visible tasks like a spreadsheet and a game, there's always
stuff "under the hood" running away.

If you're running an SMP kernel that supports more than one CPU/core
Linux will make use of them and balance running processes across them.

Both cores run at full speed (not including any powersaving modes), it's
similar to basically having two CPUs.

Matt
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