bogomips

2 definitions found

bogomips - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  BogoMips
  
     <unit> (From "bogus", "MIPS") The timing unit of the Linux
     kernel.
  
     A BogoMips is an unscientific measurement of processor speed
     made by the Linux kernel when it boots, to calibrate an
     internal busy-loop.
  
     BogoMips MiniHowto (http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/mini/BogoMips.html)
     .
  
     (1999-05-06)
  

bogomips - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  BogoMIPS
   /bo'go.mips/, n.
  
     The number of million times a second a processor can do absolutely
     nothing. The Linux OS measures BogoMIPS at startup in order to
     calibrate some soft timing loops that will be used later on; details
     at the BogoMIPS mini-HOWTO. The name Linus chose, of course, is an
     ironic comment on the uselessness of all other MIPS figures.