Processors

[Paulo]

Hi, can you explain me why the processors manufacturers releases 2, 4, 6,
etc, a lot of cores if there is no applications ready to using the full
processor power? maybe a such ignorant question, but what can you teach
me...?

Windows XP supports these new processors? XP can use theirs full power?

What do you think about the processors future and MS OSs?

thank you very much!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Hi, can you explain me why the processors manufacturers releases 2,
4, 6, etc, a lot of cores if there is no applications ready to
using the full processor power? maybe a such ignorant question, but
what can you teach me...?

Windows XP supports these new processors? XP can use theirs full
power?
What do you think about the processors future and MS OSs?

Simplest answer:
Historically, hardware outpaces software development.

Windows XP will support the new processors (if the manufacturer of said
hardware deems it so) because it is just a piece of hardware. Sometimes the
manufacturer of the processor has to come out with a hardware driver patch
to make it so - but that is (like all hardware) up to the individual
hardware manufacturer to support their product in a given OS/platform. They
can (and sometimes do) choose not to.

As far as applications/etc that utilize all these cores - you are in the
transition years. Dual/Quadruple cores. Multiple Processors. Processors
and seperate Math Co-Processors. All hardware time-frames where software
was playing catch-up for the most part.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The OS scheduler can offload threads to cores on a next available basis so
even though an app may only be utilizing one core the other cores still are
used for other apps or system tasks.