IDLE(2) Linux Programmer's Manual IDLE(2) NAME idle - make process 0 idle SYNOPSIS #include <unistd.h> int idle(void); DESCRIPTION idle is an internal system call used during bootstrap. It marks the process's pages as swappable, lowers its priority, and enters the main scheduling loop. idle never returns. Only process 0 may call idle. Any user process, even a process with super-user permission, will receive EPERM. RETURN VALUE idle never returns for process 0, and always returns -1 for a user process. ERRORS EPERM Always, for a user process. CONFORMING TO This function is Linux-specific, and should not be used in(1,8) programs intended to be portable. NOTES Since 2.3.13 this system call does not exist anymore. Linux 1.1.46 1994-08-21 IDLE(2)