[lug] Software/compiler issues w/dual CPU's

[Ed Hill]

On Tue, 2002-06-25 at 08:58, Gary Hodges wrote:
> Here is another comment from a colleague:
> 
> : It's just that, one of the best reasons for going with
> : Linux on intel (or intel-ish) is easy access to binary
> : programs.  If a dual proc either can't run the majority
> : of binaries out there, or can run them but won't be 
> : using the 2nd proc, then we might as well just get a
> : single.  
> 
> Is the above a valid point?


Two points:

 1) All the Linux programs that run on a single CPU machine will 
    run just fine on a dual-processor box.

 2) Most programs won't, by themselves, take full advantage of the 
    dual CPUs.  However, if you have multiple people using the 
    machine simultaneously (or one user running multiple simultaneous 
    programs that are CPU-bound) then you will see a benefit from 
    having two processors.  

hth,
Ed

-- 
Edward H. Hill III, PhD 
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