To Andreas: Linux vs. Windows

["Einar S. Idsø"]

Hi Andreas,

Before BF2 was released, I remember seeing a video-interview with a Dice
or EA employee who said that "64 bit Linux servers kick ass". I also
learned through other channels that 64 bit Linux servers would provide
the ultimate gaming experience. However, for some reason this turned out
to be false information after the release, when it turned out that the
Windows server is at least 10% more efficient than the Linux server.
Since I hate Windows and all it stands for, I have so far been reluctant
with shifting our servers over to Windows, but I may need to bite the
sour apple soon and do it. So what I was wondering:

1. Do you or anyone else know what causes the difference in performance?
Is this something you may share, in general terms, with this list?

2. Is anything being done to increase Linux performance specifically?

3. Do you have a more accurate number for the increased efficiency under
Windows compared to Linux than my guestimate of >10% above?

It is well known that an idle BF2 server (as with BF1942 and BFV) uses a
significant amount of CPU-power (5-10%) when running a 2.6 kernel with
1000Hz jiffies. The CPU-power is reduced to virtually nothing at 100Hz,
so apparently something is being done for each "awakening" of the
process, but I have no idea what that something can be. I've never seen
similar behaviour in other games. Can this be part of the reason why the
server is less efficient under Linux, and can something be done to
remove this idle CPU-usage?

Linux has so many advantages over Windows when it comes to both ease od
management and cost that it breaks my heart that I am now considering a
switch to Windows.

Cheers,
Einar