*BSD News Article 94766


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From: "Jordan K. Hubbard" <jkh@FreeBSD.org>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: Pentium Pro and FreeBSD
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 02:49:54 -0700
Organization: Walnut Creek CDROM
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Message-ID: <336715C2.446B9B3D@FreeBSD.org>
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To: Frank Crary <fcrary@rintintin.Colorado.EDU>
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Frank Crary wrote:
> 
> Is there some way to optimize FreeBSD for a Pentium Pro, and is it worth
> it? /usr/src/sys/i386/conf/LINT lists

In 2.2.1 we added `cpu	"I686_CPU"' but this only aids in detection and
proper identification of the CPU class (and purely cosmetic - it still
works fine in 2.1.x).  There are also no P6-specific optimizations to
enable in FreeBSD at this time.

As to the compiler, well, that's more of a gcc issue and I think that a
number of different x86 OS camps are looking eagerly to Cygnus and the
FSF for any new P6-class optimizations, it not being a FreeBSD specific
problem.  It's also pretty much up to the central maintainers of gcc if
anything truly significant is to happen here given that we've so few
compiler people ourselves who aren't already doing double and triple
duty elsewhere. :(

-- 
- Jordan Hubbard
  FreeBSD core team / Walnut Creek CDROM.