Re: [HACKERS] backend startup

At 09:32 AM 2/10/00 +1100, Chris Bitmead wrote:

>> I can see where (a) is true, but who really cares about (b) any
>> more? NT, BSD, or Linux on a several hundred dollar PC has no problem
>> with dozens of processes...

>Well there is socket overhead and extra context-switching time.

Given how expensive the basic RDBMS structure is, I imagine this
is a bit like worrying about the fact that the bugs on my windshield
increase drag and decrease my gas mileage.

I mean ... this is undoubtably true, but really pales in comparison
to other factors that impact my gas mileage.

Now, if you got rid of all the baggage associated with sharing buffers,
locking, and all the rest that goes with the multiple process model
used by Postgres you might end up with a single-process/single client
version that is noticably faster.

But just getting rid of the kernel overhead of two processes talking
to each other isn't going to get you much, I don't think. You might
be able to measure it for something like "select 1", but real queries
on real databases? I find it hard to believe.

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza(at)pacifier(dot)com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, Pacific Northwest
Rare Bird Alert Service and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net.