Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sat, 19 Jul 1997 16:07:20 -0600 (MDT) | From | Teunis Peters <> | Subject | Re: Kernel cpu selection + other platforms? |
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On 19 Jul 1997, david parsons wrote:
> In article <linux.kernel.Pine.LNX.3.91.970718152603.26810F-100000@sigil.csc.com>, > Teunis Peters <teunis@usa.net> wrote: > >On Fri, 18 Jul 1997, Mike Jagdis wrote: > > > >> On Thu, 17 Jul 1997, Aaron Tiensivu wrote: > >> > >> > Coming up in the kernel, I think the whole chip definition section should > >> > be overhauled into some type of sassy multi-selection deal. > >> > >> This is excessive. You don't need this level of detail and putting > >> processor options into config rather than looking at the processor > >> type at run time makes portable kernel images tricky. Anyway my > >> non-Intel patch does something along these lines. > > > >I think this kind of detail is _GOOD_! > >(priorities in terms of importance to _ME_ :) > > Well, it's bad in that it tosses more knowledge about the processor > into the build stage; if you're building general purpose kernels > (like a distribution, or for a network appliance like WebShield) > it means that the code taking advantage of the features of the > processor will be left off the kernel.
You have a point - there are some features that must be chosen at compile-time when dealing with CPU optimizations. Most of these 'features' are alpha-level and unknown stability. Most have warnings about potential danger.....
On the other hand [when dealing with Intel clones], having kernel support for multiple CPU support so bugfixes for different CPU's can be chosen at runtime. Doesn't the kernel already do this for buggy CPU's like pentiums, pentium-pros, pentium-II's and the like? Why not extend it for the clones? [are any known bugs for, say, cyrix 6x86's?]
On dealings with other platforms - Being able to select 'Alpha' as a processor (eg) would be nice and not just restrict to Intel-types....
Why not [for main screen]: Intel -> [386-series] -> math-co support? bugfixes? (they had some :) [486-series] -> math-co support? 486-clone? (eg. 386 with delusions) bugfixes - list of bug patches to include [586-series] -> pentium -> pentium optimizations? 5x86 (486 with delusions) -> 586 optimizations? AMD ???? -> ??? optimizations? pentium-MMX (who cares?) -> MMX optimizations? (network speedup :) bugfixes - list of bug patches to include [686-series] -> pentium-pro AMD K6 -> K6 optimizations 6x86 (Cyrix, IBM) -> 6x86 optimizations pentium-II bugfixes - list of bug patches to include optimizations - applicable to all (MMX with most?) Alpha -> (?) Sparc -> sparcstation sparc-64 (?) Mips -> I don't know... PowerPC -> native (aren't there multiple motherboard-interfaces?) mklinux (or something like that) 68K -> Amiga Atari Macintosh -> series of supported platforms ... and the like...
then make dep/make config could select 'asm' and 'arch' options based on selected CPU.
It's just an idea, yes?
If anyone wants to see this, I could check into building it... [The only platforms I can access though are 486/SX, 6x86 Cyrix, and 486/DX - the powerbook won't run Linux (I prefer MacOS on it)]
Please let me know! Wind to your wings! - Teunis
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