From: Robert Love <rml@tech9.net> To: editor@lwn.net Subject: [PATCH] (Updated) Preemptible Kernel Date: 18 Sep 2001 20:11:51 -0400 This patch enables a preemptible kernel - now userspace programs can be preempted, even if in kernel land. This should result in greater system response. Updated patches are available at: http://tech9.net/rml/linux/patch-rml-2.4.9-ac12-preempt-kernel-1 and http://tech9.net/rml/linux/patch-rml-2.4.10-pre11-preempt-kernel-1 for 2.4.9-ac12 and 2.4.10-pre11, respectively. ChangeLog is at http://tech9.net/rml/linux/changelog-preempt The Athlon-optimized problem is fixed and a final solution is merged. We have had reported success with XFS, although a patch is required to compile, available at http://tech9.net/rml/linux/other/patch-rml-2.4.10-pre10-xfs-preempt-fix-1 Finally, I have gotten great feedback from SMP users -- both in that "it works" and that benchmarks show an improvement. Thus, SMP and preemption together are no longer marked experimental. The only outstanding issue is a possible issue with ReiserFS, although I am beginning to think this is attributed to VM muck and not ReiserFS. If you use ReiserFS, I would appreciate some feedback. (Note that the issue is _not_ fs corruption or anything of the ilk, just odd syslog messages and the such). Please continue to supply feedback and relevant benchmarks. I really encourage "regular" users to try this out -- patch your kernel and enable CONFIG_PREEMPT. I am not an audio guy, trust me -- this is worth it for any desktop. -- Robert M. Love rml at ufl.edu rml at tech9.net