ok.. now this is getting stranger.
I have 2 windows open, in one I get
$ mysqlslap --use-threads -psunfire -c 90 -i 500
Benchmark
Average number of seconds to run all queries: 2.180 seconds
Minimum number of seconds to run all queries: 0.779 seconds
Maximum number of seconds to run all queries: 4.497 seconds
Number of clients running queries: 90
Average number of queries per client: 0
and in the other i get
$ mysqlslap --use-threads -psunfire -c 90 -i 500
Benchmark
Average number of seconds to run all queries: 0.012 seconds
Minimum number of seconds to run all queries: 0.002 seconds
Maximum number of seconds to run all queries: 0.015 seconds
Number of clients running queries: 90
Average number of queries per client: 0
same machine, same user-id, same binary. the only difference is
that mysql started in the ‘fast’ window.