CPU time question

[Special K]

What exactly is meant by cpu time? I am using taskinfo2000 and see processes that are using a small (3-5%) CPU util., but their cpu time rarely goes up. Shouldn't the cpu time for a process still go up even if it is using only a small % of the CPU?

 

[FearOrLove]

yes. The processes your watching probably aren't using a steady 3%. I'd guess that the readings your seeing are jumping between 0% and 3%. Even at a steady 3% it takes about 30 seconds to add up to a full second of cpu time.