Linux-kernel mailing list archive 1999-23,: Re: I: [OT] R: R: How does Linux work?

# Re: I: [OT] R: R: How does Linux work?

Jamie Lokier (lkd@tantalophile.demon.co.uk)
Tue, 8 Jun 1999 21:34:47 +0200

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Marco Ermini wrote:
> > This is false. I'm not an NT fan, but its rt scheduling algorithms
> > are similar to Linux. There is a range of priorities that use an
> > adaptive scheduling algorithm for time-sharing, like linux, and
>
> Try it yourself: open the task manager and
> change the priority of a multimedia player
> to real-time on a Pentium 200. Then wait
> until the player it's over (mouse locked too).

Do you mean everything stops *even if the RT task blocks*?

Otherwise Linux has the same problem. If you set a task to have RT
priority, ordinary tasks stop running until the RT task blocks or
terminates.

I don't know if NT's multimedia player blocks or not, but I'd guess not.
A typical video game would never block so of course would lock out
ordinary tasks if it had RT priority.

RT priority is not to be used lightly. Games shouldn't use it except
for special things: maybe for the sound mixer thread. Then those
threads should take great care not to hog the CPU.

-- Jamie

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