Re: Dual-core and/or SMP + Win9x/ME

Elektron wrote:
>>> The distributed.net client can ONLY use processors/cores that are also
>>> supported by the operating system.
>>
>>
>> So, I'm wrong. I hoped, that dnetc have one`s own "intellect" for 
>> detecting number of processors and their capabilities. Am I talk rot?
> 
> 
> There's usually a way to detect what kind of processor you have (reading 
> a special-purpose register or so). There might be a way to detect how 
> many there are (perhaps more instructions to do this).
>
> But there's no way for a 'normal' app to, say, tell the other processor 
> what to do.

Understanded.

>> Scenario:
>> 1.I want separate computer for gaming ONLY. AFAIK, best OS for this 
>> purpose is Win98 (all my friends, who have skills in Windows, say thus).
> 
> 
> Many new games require NT-based systems.

You enlighten me! Please, give me names of few games of that kind.

> Win98 may also have more DirectX bugs

What sort of bugs?

> but its strength lies in the fact that it's not really a 'real' OS.

Yes, it is more effective in situation, when we run only one process 
(game), but dramatically ugly, when we use it for real multitasking.

>> As you can see, we have same efficiency in games and much higher in 
>> dnetc. Unfortunately, it is impossible, as far as I understand. I must 
>> use one UniKore 3GHz with Win98 OR SMP/Dual-core with Windows 2000/XP.
> 
> 
> No, it certainly is possible. All you need to do is write an OS that 
> runs Windows 'under' it, on one of the CPUs. I'm not sure how it'll 
> handle all the hardware stuff (or whether it's even possible to make a 
> small amount of memory invisible from one of the CPUs) - that might have 
> a performance penalty.

Are you talking about Virtual Machines, such as Virtual PC or SViSta.

>> ThirdKomp. Two M.A.D. PairKore 2.7GHz with any Windows NT 5.x, which 
>> grab hipotetically 20% of CPU power. One 2.7GHz-core process game, 
>> which require 2.7GHz, so 0% for dnetc. Another core process NT as 
>> such, so 80% for dnetc. Others cores give full power to dnetc, so summ 
>> is 280%. Of course, this is dumb scenario too, because expected smart 
>> OS with ideal allocation of recources. Windows never be so smart. But 
>> it's just model.
> 
> 
> The OS also typically doesn't do anything unless it needs to (idle cpu 
> usage should be under 1% unless you're using a crappy OS like OSX).

All numbers are hipotetical.

> And games do not 'require' any amount of CPU time. They generally use as 
> much as they can (I suppose they might sleep if the framerate is capped).

I mean: this game work fine on 2.7GHz and higher. So, using processor 
higher than 2.7GHz is pointless. I get nothing upgrading it to 3.0GHz.

> And newer games probably have multiple threads (I suspect CS uses one 
> thread for network traffic and general stuff when acting as a server). 
> Newer games which don't are a bit stupid.

I understanded, that my model is stupid. But it is just model, greatly 
oversimplified, not real situation. I won't to appreciate all nuances.

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