From: Reid Sweatman (drunkardswalk_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-05-19 00:00:29
> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden]
> [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Aaron W.
> LaFramboise
> Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 8:12 PM
> To: boost_at_[hidden]
> Subject: Re: [boost] Re: date_time high resolution clock for Win32
>
>
> Reid Sweatman wrote:
>
> >Hardware is definitely involved, and it makes any method
> based on the Time
> >Stamp Counter not nearly as accurate as you might think.
> It's all been
> >hashed out here before, so rather than repeat it all, I'll
> just give you the
> >reference. Look back through the Boost Archives for 1999
> for a thread
> >called "timer classes" with my name and that of Andy Glew
> associated with
> >it, and you'll find some very interesting information
> (mainly from Andy, who
> >was involved with the silicon design).
> >
> >Reid Sweatman
> >
> >
> I found the thread at
> http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Mail/Browse/Threaded/boost/11
> 37286 .
> It is very informative; thank you for the information.
>
> I also found an interesting URL by someone who has done some similar
> research on timing in Windows,
> http://www.wideman-one.com/gw/tech/dataacq/wintiming.htm.
> Unfortunately, most of this is largely inapplicable in Boost.
>
> It still seems to me that, despite its flaws, Intel's RDTSC combined
> with a time source assumed to be relatively reliable, such as the system
> clock, could yield a hybrid clock no worse than the primary system
> clock The improvement in accuracy might benefit some applications, and
> probably wouldn't hurt.
>
> In any case, there should be no illusions that any timer setup on
> Windows will meet hard real-time constraints. In fact, even if there
> were some other timer available that did not share these problems, it is
> quite likely it would not offer realistically improved performance
> anyway due to Windows scheduling. With whatever might be implemented
> for Boost, this needs to be documented.
I agree, it can, and I've used it for most of my applications, including two
games. So long as you don't have unrealistic expectations, it's quite
useful.
Reid Sweatman