[linux-audio-user] preferred motherboards ?

[Chris Cannam]

Steve Harris wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 29, 2003 at 01:46:48 -0800, al goldstein wrote:
>
>> I'm curious how much work you get out of your second processor.
>
> Under JACK the second processor generally gets to do all the non-dsp
> work (UIs, disk i/o etc.), so it is quite busy.

The main thing for me really is just that I spend so much time
compiling code.  With a dual processor setup I can either
parallelise this (reducing the build time to about 60% of a
single-processor time) or just enjoy the fact that the system
responds as if the compile wasn't happening.

It is a nice thought that something like JACK can ensure it
gets all the CPU it needs while a GUI-based application (say)
is using the other CPU, but actually I don't have a terribly
good feel for how much difference that makes.

With the old Celeron machine I probably felt having two CPUs
made more difference than it does with the new Athlons, which
are quick enough still to make fairly easy work of most of the
stuff I do anyway.  (The Celeron was not a particularly quick
processor even when I built that machine, I just fancied having
a cheap dual-processor system.  And though not fast, it did
feel very responsive.)


Chris