Re: [AD] Using HPET in Linux/Unix?

[Chris <chris.kcat@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Friday 26 August 2005 02:55 am, Elias Pschernig wrote:
> Basically, it does just what Allegro timers do, right?

That's how it sounds to me.

> We also have forward compatiblity according to abi._tx. But it could fo
> into 4.3.x.

I thought we were forgoing forward compatiblity in 4.2, instead leaving just 
backward?

> Shouldn't it be done as a separate timer driver?

Of course. But what I'm saying is that we could move the sound callback 
function to a user timer (which can use HPET or threads), while leaving the X 
input/graphics callbacks in the bg manager, which will continue to use 
threads only.

> On the subject of timers, I assume the al_get_ticks() in 4.3.x will get
> rid of 95% (or more) of the use of timers in current Allegro programs,
> since usually all they do is incrementing some frame counter :)

That's what I would guess. And hopefully we could encourage using pthreads for 
threads (since that's what the majority of the multi-tasking world uses, and 
there is a Win32 version) which would all but eliminate need for timers. But 
my thought is that if we're going to have/keep Allegro's timers around, we 
might as well implement them properly (which is what an HPET driver would be 
for).