We're now definetly entering the multithreading age, just check this out:

It took over 20 years for desktop processors to go from single-core to dual-core. Now, though, Intel is preparing to release its first desktop quad-core processor after introducing its first dual-core desktop CPU in April 2005. Intel executives this week announced that it will begin shipping the first quad-core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 processors this November. Intel did not announce pricing details, but new Extreme Edition processors have traditionally shipped at the $999 price point.

The Core 2 Extreme, codenamed "Kentsfield," will incorporate two dual-core chips on a single package for a total of four processing cores and 8MB of L2 cache memory. The Core 2 Extreme QX6700's 2.66Ghz clock speed makes it slightly slower than the current Conroe-based 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme Processor. That means that the faster dual-core processor will likely outperform its quad-core sibling in applications that haven't been optimized for multiple processor cores, but the quad-core should perform better in newer multithreaded applications designed for multicore processors.

Remedy Entertainment's upcoming action-thriller game, Alan Wake, can take advantage of quad-core processors by devoting separate program threads such as physics, game action, environment, and sound processing to each core.

Comparison systems provided by Intel showed the Core 2 Extreme quad-core chip scoring 8910 compared to the dual-core Core 2 Extreme's 8286 in the popular 3D gaming benchmark 3DMark06. However, the default 3DMark06 test is primarily a video card benchmark, and the close scores better represent the performance of the identical systems' matching GeForce 7950 GX2 video cards. The quad-core processor had a much wider lead over the dual-core version in 3DMark's specialized CPU test where the quad-core scored 3903 to the dual-core's 2497.

Rival processor manufacturer AMD is preparing to release its own "4x4" quad-core platform later this year, but AMD's hardware will use dual-socket motherboards and dual-core CPUs to get up to four cores. AMD will follow up with single-chip quad-core CPUs in 2007.

The quad-core Core 2 Extreme processor will be compatible with most existing 965 and 975 LGA775 motherboards, but may require a BIOS update. The Core 2 Extreme QX6700 will be the only Intel quad-core CPU available this November. Mainstream Core 2 Quad processors are scheduled to arrive in Q1 2007.

Check this.

A trillion floating point operations a second!!!!!
thats absolutly impressive, but...
it wouldnt matter if it could perform 100 times better, why?? well thats easy because there is absolutly no software that can gain benefit of it, I mean its the same that has always happened, software is always a step (well actually a lot of steps) behing hardware, and its been like that since the begining, and its always going to be that way, theres just not enough programmers in the world to keep up with the hardware advancements, wich now that I come to think about its a good thing, because it means that I´ll always have a job:D  Hurray for the hardware scientists that keep the programmers busy:thanx:  
We trully thank you

Quote from: UmaSamaA trillion floating point operations a second!!!!!
thats absolutly impressive, but...
it wouldnt matter if it could perform 100 times better, why?? well thats easy because there is absolutly no software that can gain benefit of it, I mean its the same that has always happened, software is always a step (well actually a lot of steps) behing hardware, and its been like that since the begining, and its always going to be that way, theres just not enough programmers in the world to keep up with the hardware advancements, wich now that I come to think about its a good thing, because it means that I´ll always have a job:D  Hurray for the hardware scientists that keep the programmers busy:thanx:  
We trully thank you

You realize your 100% wrong.  You may not see the point of it on running the next MMO but there's a use and a need for it.  Software is always crippled by hardware in almost every field imaginable.

NASA's shuttles run on obsolete 386 chips, by the way...

Quote from: kryystYou realize your 100% wrong.  You may not see the point of it on running the next MMO but there's a use and a need for it.  Software is always crippled by hardware in almost every field imaginable.

I supose that you got experience in Multithreading aplications programming to back up that statement.
Have you ever been in a history of computing class???
Cause I have, and I can tell you that Im not that wrong.

Quote from: UmaSamaI supose that you got experience in Multithreading aplications programming to back up that statement.
Have you ever been in a history of computing class???
Cause I have, and I can tell you that Im not that wrong.

I come from a server/infrastructrure background - the applications are always looking for more hardware.  They'll take and use anything you throw at it and just keep asking for more.

You got me there, I havent thought about that.
Besides my xp with servers is almost null beyond theory, so Im in no position to argue about it. :shrug:

It certianly used to be the case and it still is in some aspects where new hardware comes out and software is created for it.  But now the push is generally from the software side of things.  It's not always direct but the relationship is there.

Take gaming for example they push the envolope as far as they can with the ammount of processes, pixels shadders etc...etc... But even on the most high end machines at the time the game itself could still run at a few more frames or with a few more effects turned on.  Graphics card manufactures know this so they build new cards that are more powerful then the current games.   The software doesn't take years to catch up it's always there.  Now we have new physics cards in the works.  The manufactures aren't making them in hopes that game companies will use them.  They are making them because they know game companies already want them and can use them in current and future games.

Now on the OS front OS's go through similar development stages.  They ask for a lot of power and run on what they have but they can always benefit from what's coming out.  Just look at XP as an example.  It came out in 2002 but it's running better and better on newer machines.  It was designed to take advantage of speed that wasn't present at the time or multi-cored processers that also didn't exist.

Quote from: kryystIt certianly used to be the case and it still is in some aspects where new hardware comes out and software is created for it.  But now the push is generally from the software side of things.  It's not always direct but the relationship is there.

I think that would be the more accurate thing either one of us said, because I agree with you that win xp does take advantage of hardware that wasnt even there on the moment of its release, but remember that its also limited in some aspects, like for example it doesn't recognize over 3 gigs of RAM, and let's not forget that win xp 64 its not the same that win xp 32, and its still not that good, one of the reasons I believe Microsoft its finaly releasing a new OS from scratch (win Vista).
So...what d'you say, can we state that the relation has drop to almost a tie (with variations of course).

I'm good with that.