Can we discuss if it is practical for Linux users to run a dual core CPU on their system? My understanding is dual core can handle multiple requests without stressing the CPU however I would think this would be more MS efficient considering you dedicate 50% of your resources for AV, Spyware, Adware, Popup blocker, and anything else the machine may be running...

Do you think Linux users have a need for Dual Core CPU's or is this right now efficient in a Windows environment?

Dual-core CPUs are more efficient in whichever environment. Without going into technical details, dual-core CPU seems to me to be similar to having more RAM. It's not any faster but it can do more at once depending on the app etc.

IMHO anybody who rejects the opportunity to run Linux on a Dual-core (or better) is nuts.
I'm currently casting around for a dual-core Turion - if I could find a laptop with 2 dual-core Opterons, I'd have it. But that'll have to be my next desktop ...

A dual-core CPU works somewhat like two physical CPUs. Two processes can be run simultaneously, which is just not possible on one CPU. Any application designed to take advantage of multi-threading should benefit from dual-core CPUs. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.)

Good look on finding a laptop battery powerful enough.

syg00: This is the all-powerful world of linux, get a crappy laptop and use it as a thin-client for your dual-Opteron server. It'll only work at home though unless you can afford two then hide one in a cupboard at work

hi, I have questions, sorry if they have already posted somewhere.

- Is Intel Pentium D's performance will be fully used / utilized by a Mail server (Slackware 10.2), running httpd, qmail, mysql, php, samba, etc?
- Does Linux able to make use of any features provided by the Processor, either made by Intel or AMD?

That's all, thanx.

That's what the SMP (symmetric multi-processing) kernel is for. The SMP kernel is designed to work with multiple physical and/or logical CPUs to take advantage of the multi-threading efficiency.

Your Linux installer usually detects your CPU(s) and installs the appropriate kernel (single-CPU or SMP) for you.

Unless you're running slackware like he is.


If you're running a default kernel you probably won't be taking advantage as the default kernel(s) are all 2.4 (I think there might be a 2.6 kernel in the testing directory). You'll probably have to upgrade your kernel.

I'm probably going to be getting a lappy soon (gonna request it not have an OS installed and install slack on it) and one of the first things I'm gonna be doing is upgrading to the new kernel with all it's 2.6 goodness (better acpi and wifi, better HW detection, SMP).

And to the OP, Windows really benifits less than Linux as you have to have an OS and apps writen to take advantage of the dual-cores.

All modern CPUs work like a pipeline or production-line. A dual-core CPU can have more than one unit of work in-process (in different areas of the chip) at the same time. It is functionally similar but not identical to separate CPUs. (One good way of thinking about it is that the CPU doesn't have to perform a complete context-switch when moving from one thread to another.)

How effective is that for you? It depends on your workload and its characteristics. It might have a very noticeable effect, or it might have none at all.