Windows, Part III - Dave Probert | Going Deep

androidi

Given recent single vs dual core discussion, some have argued that Windows scheduler would be doing mediocre job given that the responsiveness increases so much when going dual or more. I am not so certain this is the whole truth.

Anand asks: How do people 'multitask'?

Heavy multitasking that can occur in common tasks Part 1

http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/comments.aspx?bid=192
http://www.anandtech.com/talkarticle.aspx?i=2388

Follow up notes how NCQ can also be a factor

And given the discussion around how game performance will benefit from going dual or 64 bit it would also be interesting to see (Charles!) videos from DirectX guys and hear what are their thoughts on the current performance bottlenecks. Provided you bought a new computer with good HW and put some latest games on it, would the framerate and good looks be limited by CPU, Display Adapter, DirectX design or by how games utilize DirectX and the HW?

dilettante

As Doc Brown might say, here we go back to the future again.

Here is a 1982 paper on 1961 technology:

http://www.smecc.org/The%20Architecture%20%20of%20the%20Burroughs%20B-5000.htm

Note particularly the RDLK (readlock) operator, which was "reinvented" (ok, re-implemented perhaps) "in the 1990s" on commodity microprocessors.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana

But progress is progress and it is good to keep moving forward, even in fits and starts.

GandalfWhite
Gandalf White

I couldn't really understand the very last part of this video. The part where Dave speaks about fast referencing. It would be really great if someone could explain that. Thanks.