* Avi Kivity <avi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > On 04/11/2010 03:08 PM, Ingo Molnar wrote: > > > >> No one is insisting the patches aren't intrusive. We're insisting they > >> bring a real benefit. I think Linus' main objection was that hugetlb > >> wouldn't work due to fragmentation, and I think we've demonstrated that > >> antifrag/compaction do allow hugetlb to work even during a fragmenting > >> workload running in parallel. > > > > As i understood it i think Linus had three main objections: > > > > 1- the improvements were only shown in specialistic environments > > (virtualization, servers) > > Servers are not specialized workloads, and neither is virtualization. [...] As far as kernel development goes they are. ( In fact in the past few years virtualization has grown the nasty habbit of sometimes _hindering_ upstream kernel development ... I hope that will change. ) > > Applications will just bloat up to that natural size. They'll use finer > > default resolutions, larger internal caches, etc. etc. > > Well, if this happens we'll be ready. That's what happened in the past 20 years, and i can see no signs of that process stopping anytime soon. [ Note, 'apps bloat up to natural RAM size' is a heavy simplification with a somewhat derogatory undertone: in reality what happens is that apps just grow along what are basically random vectors, and if a vector hits across the RAM limit [and causing a visible slowdown due to bloat] there is a _pushback_ from developers/testers/users. The end result is that app working sets are clipped to somewhat below the typical desktop RAM size, but rarely are they debloated to much below that practical average threshold. So in essence 'apps fill up available RAM'. ] Just like car traffic 'fills up' available road capacity. If there's enough road capacity [and fuel prices are not too high] then families (and businesses) will have second and third cars and wont bother optimizing their driving patterns. Ingo -- To unsubscribe, send a message with 'unsubscribe linux-mm' in the body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxx For more info on Linux MM, see: http://www.linux-mm.org/ . Don't email: <a href=mailto:"dont@xxxxxxxxx";> email@xxxxxxxxx </a>