Why are there two swapper processes?

[Ross Wetmore]

In article <352 at mancol.UUCP> samperi at mancol.UUCP (Dominick Samperi) writes:
>     UID   PID  PPID  C    STIME TTY      TIME COMMAND
>    root     0     0 40 02:48:46 ?       300:59 swapper
>    root     1     0  0 02:48:46 ?        0:25 [ init ]
>    root     0     0  0 02:48:46 ?        0:55 swapper

  Something I always puzzled over was why there were always 2 swapper
processes listed by ps, and why one is normally not used. Since this is
apparently not a local phenomenon, maybe someone can shed light on this
piece of trivia?

Ross W. Wetmore                 | rwwetmore at water.NetNorth
University of Waterloo          | rwwetmore at math.waterloo.edu
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(519) 885-1211 ext 3491         |   !watmath!rwwetmore