09-22-2009
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Join Date: Jul 2009
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Yes, the Linux Kernel is preemptive, as are effectively all modern operating systems.
A non-preemptive multitasking operating system essentially requires the cooperation of the programs to tell it to switch to the next program. This means that a single application can hang the entire computer.
A preemptive multitasking system will interrupt the programs and switch to the next program waiting to run, without requiring the programs to tell it that they are done.