Variable ticks

[Bill Davidsen <davidsen@tmr.com>]

I was thinking about variable tick times, and I can think of three 
classes of action needing CPU attention.
- device interrupts, which occur at no predictable time but would pull 
the CPU out of a HLT or low power state.
- process sleeps of various kinds, which have a known time of occurence.
- polled devices...

Question one, are there other actions to consider?

Question two, what about those polled devices?

I've been asked to give a high level overview of the recent discussion 
for a meeting, and while I want to keep it at the level of "slower 
clock, fewer interrupts" and "faster clock, better sleep resolution," I 
don't want to leave out any important issues, or be asked a question 
(like how to handle polling devices) when I have no idea what people are 
thinking in an area.

-- 
    -bill davidsen (davidsen@tmr.com)
"The secret to procrastination is to put things off until the
  last possible moment - but no longer"  -me