Automatic SMP?

[Paul Dickson]

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:00:26 -0700, Slide wrote:

> >
> > Thanks, Kurt.  Being newly returned to SUSE, I need some pointers now and
> > then.  I figured it had to be available in an easier way than recompiling
> > the source.
> >
> > Alan
> 
> 
> It is in 2.6.17, they added automatic detection of SMP, I think I
> noted that before.
> 

You seems to be misrepresenting the kernel change.  Since Linux 2.2 you
could mix and match kernels (SMP or not) with systems (SMP or not)
however you'd like.  SMP was automatically detected and utilized.

The "SMP Alternatives" added in 2.6.17 allows an SMP kernel become a true
UP kernel AND avoid the locking overhead (the reverse can be true too).
A UP system still has the bloat of all those NO-OPs though.

    http://lwn.net/Articles/164121/
    http://lwn.net/Articles/163810/

I think this change maybe a bit too recent for support by distributions.

	-Paul