[ltp] Re: So what _is_ advantage of 2.6 kernel on a Thinkpad?

Tod Harter linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
Tue, 23 Mar 2004 09:49:29 -0500


Alex wrote:

>On Mon, 2004-03-22 at 05:29, Tod Harter wrote:
>  
>
>>I have to agree. Overall the 2.6 kernel is NOT as stable as a good 
>>2.4.20+ with whatever patches you need.I've found a lot of problems, and 
>>they get worse when you turn on preemption. Audio and Video playback, 
>>despite the theoretical promise of better scheduling and preemption seem 
>>to be MUCH inferior. I can't even get XMMS to play an mp3 without 
>>breaking up every time there is the slightest activity on the desktop, 
>>and thats on a very high-end workstation, on the A20p its worse. Even 
>>    
>>
> 
>Hrmm. I'm quite the opposite. I'm running the WOLK-2.6 kernel
>(wolk.sf.net, a very nice kernel IMHO) and have found the vm and io
>scheduling improvements to make a huge difference. I run gentoo, and
>have been able to emerge (compile) mozilla, compile a kernel and listen
>to a high quality VBR MP3 all at the same time just fine. I've gotten
>comparable results with stock 2.6 kernels as well, though WOLK does have
>some nice extras. This is all on a t40.
>
>  
>
Well, the mobo I'm using on my workstation now has AC97 codec for sound. 
I haven't experience with that on 2.4.x, but its pretty crappy under 
2.6.3. Even with preemption every mouse movement generates an audible 
breakup. There are a lot of possible variables and its OT here, but I'm 
definitely going to go back and compare with 2.4.22 and see how it differs.


-- 
Tod Harter
Principal Developer
TradeDesk Software
voice: 802 655 2777
tharter@giantelectronicbrain.com