=== nickmoeck_ is now known as nickmoeck [08:55] I have a dilema: intel i3 2100 or amd athlon x4. [08:56] sandybridge with 2 cores vs. athlon with 4. Sandybridge is suppose to have awesome performance, but does it trump an extra 2 cores [09:05] I've looked at some comparison benchmarks, but it they seem pretty comparable, except each one does better a certain operation than the other. [14:19] ripps: intel i7! [14:22] well, i'd guess it depends on how parallelisable is what you'r doing [14:22] you're [14:22] if it can be parallelised easily more cores will help more [14:23] so do "cores" present themselves as disticnt cpus to the os? [14:24] s/disticnt/distinct/ [14:24] yes [14:24] ah [14:25] so a dual processor with dual cores would appear to have 4 cpus [14:25] got it [14:27] also intel Hyper Threading makes cores show up as two cores [14:27] as a non-os programmer, i wonder how linux itself uses or does not use parallelism with regard to cpus [14:28] KBme: i see. didn't realize that either [14:28] how it uses? [14:28] it has a scheduler to map OS level threads to cores [14:28] so in my earlier example the 2 proc dual core may look like 8 cpus? [14:29] if it has hyper threading yes, each core shows up as two cpus [14:29] crazy [14:29] what i understood about hyper threading is that if the process runs into a bottleneck it can be rescheduled and an other process can take over [14:30] but don't take my word on that one, we're getting on the murky water of CPU design [14:30] heh [14:31] so even if an application isn't designed for parallelism, it probably would benefit in someways with the os balancing it's own threads across cpus [14:32] well [14:32] the whole system still benefits for it [14:32] right [14:32] your application won't [14:32] so indirectly in my example themn [14:32] *then [14:32] ah [14:32] yeah [14:33] well, since it can fully use one core and the "other stuff" can be mapped to other cores [14:33] so generally speaking without actively designing for parallelism, your app exists as a single thread (pid?) [14:33] it will get more cpu time than if the whole system is on the same core [14:33] right [14:33] well, that depends too [14:33] you can thread your program and still not be parallel [14:33] overall timeshare, but the os isn't going to magically separate out chunks of your app to leverage idle cpu cycles [14:33] look up for example the difference between concurrency and parallelism [14:34] no, it won't ☺ [14:34] though the haskell people are working on that :D [14:35] it's interesting to think about concurrency and parallelism out of the context of computing [14:35] like a manufacturing business for example [14:35] get more orders -> get more people -> do more work [14:36] yeah [14:36] io bottleneck: an unfinished highway [14:36] heh [14:37] mikeputnam, dhmn looks interesting :P [14:37] or even open source software development. i believe human brains are basically single threaded. but get 15 people... :) [14:38] KBme: it is. clever people doing fun and interesting stuff [14:38] KBme: join the mailing list. lots of neat stuff goes by [14:38] mikeputnam, you are very wrong about the human brain [14:39] yes i suppose. there's a lot going on: keep my breathing, seeing, hearing, fight or flight, etc etc [14:40] yep [14:40] also, if you're really interested, search for "Google Workshop on Quantum Biology" in youtube, pretty mind-boggling talks [14:40] i guess i was referring to the voluntary thought->action process [14:40] that "counscious" part...hmm yeah, maybe [14:40] i wouldn't be sure, tho, even [14:41] at least i know i can't write 3 programs in parallel [14:41] heh [14:41] mikeputnam, i'm in france for now ☺ [14:43] neat. seek out "hackerspace"s near your locality. you'll be glad you did. [14:43] http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/France [14:44] there seem to be non where I am.. [14:44] :/ [14:45] start one? [14:45] :) [14:45] so, what is it? [14:45] hmmm [14:45] i guess i'll just rtfm ;) [14:46] mikeputnam, we're kind of starting one [14:47] great! [14:47] sort of a community workshop [14:47] for hackers [14:47] yeah [14:47] like a health club membership, but for your brain [14:48] so what do you program, mikeputnam? [14:48] computer people, metalworking people, woodworking people, crafty people, electronics people, art people, etc, etc [14:48] i work on an Oracle/PeopleSoft ERP app [14:49] ☺ [14:49] ugg (oracle;) [14:49] yeah [14:49] they do usually pay well tho [14:50] well, ogtta get back to hacking on my couchapp laterz [14:51] enjoy