Linux SMP

[Philip Thiem <ptt@umr.edu>]

I'm wonder, and perhap some you linux buffs could help.
HOw great is the performance gain from SMP?  I have been debating this
with a friend.  I know linux has muli-threaded capability, but like the
kernal isn't explicitly multithreaded(or is it), yeah you can compile it
for multiple processors, and the same with other application without
explicitly using the threads library, sort of creating multiple
processes.. Are these process indpendent of each other in a way that a
noticable benefit would be gained from SMP.  I'm new to the detail of
SMP so any information would be nice

Thanks

Philip Thiem
ptt@umr.edu