Dual CPU question

[ClickHere2Surf.com]

Is it true that on a dual AMD processor computer, programs can only use 1 of the processors unless it is made to use 2 processors?

If thats true then are there other cases than "dual cpu compatible" programs where both CPUs would be used? Would having multiple programs running share both processors or what?

Thanks

[Matridom]

Is it true that on a dual AMD processor computer, programs can only use 1 of the processors unless it is made to use 2 processors?

If thats true then are there other cases than "dual cpu compatible" programs where both CPUs would be used? Would having multiple programs running share both processors or what?

Thanks

AMD or Intel, the answer is the same.

the term your looking for is multithreaded applications. They are arround, just not overly common. Intel's HyperThreading will change this however, cause it in essence takes the spare cycles from the processor, and makes the OS think that it's a second processor. With HT much much more common then Dual CPU systems, software vendors will start to multithread their apps.

Quake3, photoshop are some good examples of multithreaded applications.

The main advantage is when your multitasking, cause then, you have one program running on one processor, then another app on the second processor.