x server

[Danny Pansters]

On Wednesday 30 March 2005 04:42, Gert Cuykens wrote:
> Why does x server always use a avarage of 1% cpu time while i am doing
> nothing ? Everything els is 0% except x and enlightenment ?

Probably the load of showing content or waiting for input, and the like. X is 
big. It also uses a lot (if possible an awful lot) of memory. Showing 
graphics can be a complicated thing which can require the cpu to do some work 
now and then (think placement, repainting, frequency locking, and so on and 
having to wait for those and catch the signals if they change).

If I would have my TV viewer running (kmplayer) and do nothing for an extended 
period of time I bet it would show a lot more cpu than 1% still.

Same with websites that use heavy and/or broken javascripts or flash. Can yank 
up cpu easily even for common tasks. I have a brand new oven (thats an intel 
mobo with a 3.4 GHz processor) and it gets a lot more noisy (fans spinning 
faster) when making world (in 35 minutes) or playing a dvd or a low bandwidth 
encoded mediastream in (k)mplayer. Anything that makes the cpu really have to 
work.

Besides, the optimal cpu time used for any process is 100% as they all compete 
for cpu bandwidth (if the system would be under duress). So basically your 
system is doing great and is not overloaded at all. It's gravely underused 
one might argue ;-)

HTH,

Dan