New version 3.20.03 of the ACPI software package is released.
This version has the following changes:
- Updated to ACPICA version 20120518.
- Some changes to the Power Manager
- Implemented idle time HLT
A description of the ACPI software package is available at:
http://svn.netlabs.org/acpi
You can download this new release from your Software Subscription
Services at the Mensys website. Log in to Mensys with your Mensys
login id and click the Downloads link. Click the "Software
Subscription Services for eComStation" Download link and the ACPI
drivers should be listed.
You can report problems at:
http://svn.netlabs.org/acpi
Roderick Klein reminds:
Anyway in 486 or possibly even the 386 computer the HLT instruction was
introduced. This is a kind of quick on off switches that makes the CPU idle.
It reduces energy consumption and also the heat developement! Especialy
in laptops this is important. Your hard ware lasts longer and your battery
life increases!
Orginaly the _W4 kernel (which does not support multiple CPU's) had
support for CPU HLT instruction.
The SMP kernel we now use today in eCS (also on machines with a single
core system) does not have HLT support build in.
People tried in various ways to implement this. Andy Willes tried a
patch but from what I read that did not work in all cases.
Implementing such a patch is also no easy. It now seems David come up
with a such method.
As every CPU (amd and Intel) support his HLT instruction it should make
people there computers a lot cooler and reduce the electricityt bill :-)
|