sigsegv@rambler.ru wrote:
> Ok, try the follwoing
> 
> 1) Edit ~/.profile and put:
> 
> PTHREAD_RRTIME=1
> export PTHREAD_RRTIME
> 
> 
> 2) Edit /etc/sysctl.conf and put:
> 
> vm.anonmin=10
> vm.anonmax=95
> vm.execmin=10
> vm.execmax=60
> vm.filemin=1
> vm.filemax=10

I think it's a little bit better now. I tried unpacking pkgsrc again - 
twice, and there were no longer the 5-10 s long pauses. The mouse 
pointer was still very choppy, with very, very many ~1 s pauses, but I 
think they're not as bad (long) as they used to be.

I think it's relatively acceptable - it's not like I unpack pkgsrc every 
day, and during normal tasks, the mouse pointer doesn't seem to jerk so 
often anymore. But I'm not really 100% sure about it yet (maybe placebo 
effect...), I'd have to use the system for some time.

I *think* I remember I was reading a changelog for some older NetBSD 
release (maybe from the 1.5 or 1.4 series), where it said that they 
improved the smoothness of mouse/interactivity under X, but can't find 
it anymore. I don't know if this improvement got somehow lost in 2.0...

Anyway, thanks for all your help, suggestions and patience. I really 
appreciate it.