Multi processor operating systems
 

Just Installed SuSE 6.2 it was easier to setup than windows.
I thought modems, scanners and burners were going to be tricky to setup. I was so pleased ,delighted even that everything got detected , -connected and worked straight away. Also Star Office is extremely good. I use it to work on all those MS Office 2000 docs I get sent.

I have two main questions: one silly.

1. Can an op/sys like Linux make use of a motherboard with multiple processors? I notice that destop PC's only come with one CPU. Is this because that is all windoze can make use off or is there a deeper reason? I know servers come with two CPU's I think? Is that because each processor is working on completely different tasks in a server. I ask because I would like to get a PC with two cpu's for using with Linux only if it gives significant advantage. I want to do graphics intensive work.

2. Is there a cheap or free graphics program like 3D MAX or Milkshape for Linux and are there Quake 2 and 3 game engine editors ported to Linux ? Can Gimp be used for skins., 3d models ?

3. I have heard that some motherboards are designed to make a piece of software use multiple processors. This was from a tech that had an old pc with two DX100Mhz processors. Then again some say the software has to be designed to do it ?

Are there any 3D graphics programs(cheap) for Linux?
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I see that you are a very anxious about linux, you even posted two thread that mostly identical http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=28440
As it was answered and poll was setup there is actually no need to repeat it. as for #2 look over http://freshmeat.net/search?q=3D
#3 SMP is infact requires software to be SMP aware to take a full advantage of multiprocessing. And SMP is well supported under linux, espacially with the new technique - pre-emtive kernel patch mantained by Robert Love - SMP is a full blown monster nowadays.
Tricky, will it be closed too? I didn't notice that you closed the original :(

norfarm,

From my limited experience in this area...

Linux can support multi processors, given a motherboard capable of supporting multiprocessors.

"Server" versions of windows are purchaseable for a set number of processors - winnt, 2000, xp etc.

hope that helps with some of it

Mderator closed it
 

I only repeated the question because the moderator said he was closing it down? I guess they can do as they please but i hope this one stays open. and thanks for your input. I intent to go and visit a Sun systems or a uni and try and find some people to talk to about these issues. Then if i find out anything extra i will post it here.:Pengy:

Maybe, Solaris people tend to be rather elitist about their OS.

SMP works really well, actually Mandy shipped 8.0 to autdetect for a second precessor and install a different, SMP enabled, kernel if it saw one.

I've got 2 SMP boxes running right now... an old SS10 and a Dualie PPro 180. Some things that usually come pre-configured for SMP: XFree86 4.0.x and above, KDE 3.0.0, at least as I've seen it on Slack and RH, Grip which might sound small, but mp3 encoding is processor intensive, so being able to split it is a brilliant thing, fluxbox... a lot more, its usually the default these days as if the additional instructions aren't needed they're ignored.

Usually though an out of the box distro will require a kernel re-compile. Slack comes with a pre-built, I think RH does as well.

There are quite a few guys running SMP Linux systems with the AMD Tyan boards, cost ballpark $200, then another $150-ish per chip, and the RAM for the chipset is a little expensive compared to just vanilla ddr that you can drop in any board, but its a whirling fun investment.

For instance, I was swapping chatter with a guy on a thread here about his dualie AMD XP 1900 board, 1 Gb RAM, so of course his soundcard didn't work, ;) He had kernel compiles down to 55 seconds.

My crate is a no slouch AMD 1.2Ghz T-Bird with 768, but I could never really make it under 3:00.

Anyway,

Cheers,

Finegan

Not only that

About 3d graphics programs: they're quite many. You've got povray or blender (soon going Open Source).