Linked by David Adams on Thu 2nd Oct 2008 17:40 UTC
The Linux Kernel version 2.6.25 introduces a new Linux process sleeping state, TASK_KILLABLE: If a process is sleeping killably in this new state, it works like TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE with the bonus that it can respond to fatal signals. This feature is generally an improvement over the existing options -- after all, it is another way to keep from getting stuck with dead processes.
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RE: save my battery more
by PlatformAgnostic on Thu 2nd Oct 2008 23:08
in reply to "save my battery more"
Member since:2006-01-02
Member since:2006-01-02
Your comment has nothing to do with the article except for the first sentence.
On a desktop system, 99% process time is spent in some sort of sleep state (almost always TASK_INTERRUPTABLE) as the processes are waiting on I/O or some event to occur. So yes, they do consume memory but no CPU cycles while sleeping.
Member since:
2005-11-12
I'm guessing that sleeping processes consume memory but not cpu cycles. I'm looking forward to kernel changes coming with the Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex release to recognize CPU scaling with Atom processors. I saw a comment on the eee-Ubuntu maintainer's blog suggesting that low power modes would be utilized more with the next Ubuntu release. It is kind of interesting since I get about 6 hours running Open Office all day on XP and about 5 hours running Ubuntu Hardy. I'm guessing that Asus has kernel modules for XP that leverage the Atom CPU's low power modes.