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Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc,comp.os.linux.development.system Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!nntp.coast.net!torn!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!sun4nl!rnzll3!sys3.pe1chl!rob From: rob@pe1chl.ampr.org (Rob Janssen) Subject: Re: The better (more suitable)Unix?? FreeBSD or Linux Reply-To: pe1chl@wab-tis.rabobank.nl Organization: PE1CHL Message-ID: <DMzqnM.DnK@pe1chl.ampr.org> References: <4er9hp$5ng@orb.direct.ca> <4fg8fe$j9i@pell.pell.chi.il.us> <311C5EB4.2F1CF0FB@freebsd.org> <4fjodg$o8k@venger.snds.com> <4fo1tu$n31@news.jf.intel.com> <DMrCE4.3HF@pe1chl.ampr.org> <4ftjt9$fjs@park.uvsc.edu> <DMv8w7.8H4@pe1chl.ampr.org> <4g5ivp$28m@park.uvsc.edu> Date: Sun, 18 Feb 1996 21:35:45 GMT Lines: 52 Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:14612 comp.os.linux.development.system:18341 In <4g5ivp$28m@park.uvsc.edu> Terry Lambert <terry@lambert.org> writes: >rob@pe1chl.ampr.org (Rob Janssen) wrote: >] So, what is it that synchronously updating metadata is really buying you? >] >] When the answer is "nothing, really" and it does slowdown the system, >] I don's see why I would use it. >] When you want to use it, go ahead. >Sigh. >I know my explanations have been more technical than the average >user's interest level. I will try and distill them: >1) Sync enhances the security of your files following a > crash and makes sure that part of one of your files > does not end up in someone elses hands. There is no proof that this will happen with ext2fs, and it is not likely that it will. >2) Sync increases the probability that things you did > right before the machine went down on you aren't going > to get lost. This is just plain wrong, unless both data and metadata are written sync. >3) Sync makes your machine go slower on a bogus-as-hell > create 1000 files/delete 1000 files benchmark that > really doesn't mimic normal system usage at all. Except when the machine is used as a news server, or when packages are being installed on it. >4) Sync makes no difference in user perception of speed > unless you're the type of user who lives to run bogus > benchmarks, and then claim they represent a single > figure-of-merit to use when picking your machine. I'm very sure that the abysmal performance of news expiry and unbatching on the machine I discussed before is due to the sync metadata writes. You call that a bogus benchmark. As I said before, when you want to use it, go ahead. I won't. Rob -- +------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+ | Rob Janssen rob@knoware.nl | BBS: +31-302870036 (2300-0730 local) | | AMPRnet: rob@pe1chl.ampr.org | AX.25 BBS: PE1CHL@PI8WNO.#UTR.NLD.EU | +------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+