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    SubjectRe: [PATCH] i386 rw_semaphores fix
    On Wed, Apr 11, 2001 at 02:20:28AM +0200, Andi Kleen wrote:
    > On Wed, Apr 11, 2001 at 02:13:18AM +0200, David Weinehall wrote:
    > > >
    > > > Yes, and with CMPXCHG handler in the kernel it wouldn't be needed
    > > > (the other 686 optimizations like memcpy also work on 386)
    > >
    > > But the code would be much slower, and it's on 386's and similarly
    > > slow beasts you need every cycle you can get, NOT on a Pentium IV.
    >
    > My reasoning is that who uses a 386 is not interested in speed, so a little
    > bit more slowness is not that bad.

    My reasoning is that the choice of computer is a direct function of
    your financial situation. I can get hold of a lot of 386's/486's, but
    however old a Pentium may be, people are still reluctant to give away
    those. Doing the sometimes necessary updates on my 386:en is already
    painfully slow, and I'd rather not take another performance hit.

    > You realize that the alternative for distributions is to drop 386 support
    > completely?

    Yes, I realise that. But if _distribution X_ drops support for the 386,
    there's always _distribution Y_ available with it still in, while if
    we give the glibc-people the thumbs up saying "Ignore the 386 users from
    now on", every distribution will get lousy performance on those machines.

    > Most 386 i've seen used for linux do not run multi threaded applications
    > anyways; they usually do things like ISDN routing. Also on early 386 with
    > the kernel mode wp bug it's a security hazard to use clone().

    Well, not all 386:en are early...


    /David
    _ _
    // David Weinehall <tao@acc.umu.se> /> Northern lights wander \\
    // Project MCA Linux hacker // Dance across the winter sky //
    \> http://www.acc.umu.se/~tao/ </ Full colour fire </
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