[newbie] load averages explanation

[Asa Rossoff]

ok, I asked about this a few weeks ago, but I'm getting only a fraction 
of list traffic for some reason, and missed the reply at the time.  I 
just found that reply in the online list archive, and it referenced a 
website with some good discussion, but that site didn't give what 
sounded like a sensical definition for what the actual load figures mean.

I just found another online definition that makes sense to me.. here, 
for posterity:/

   Load Average: When the scheduler says, "I have a timeslice to hand out",
     how many processes are lined up, ready to take that slice (on 
average)?

//    Discussion: It means nothing more, and nothing less.
/
The three load figures are 1, 5 and 15 minute averages (I suppose 
averages of every cycle of the process scheduler).

There are some tips on how to consider load averages as well.  The url 
is http://jwenet.net/notebook/2005/1059.html

Asa
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