How to upload compiled packages?

[Marc Schlensog]

On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:35:37 -0600
"Will L Givens" <diskman at kc.rr.com> wrote:

> I know EV6 can run EV5 binaries (backward compatibility) but EV5's
> cannot run EV6 binaries. That is why everyone simply builds EV5
> packages, it will run on the majority of Alphas. EV6 having functions
> the EV5/PCA56 cannot remotely emulate I just gave the 'out our
> sequence' function as one of the differences. The same thing applies
> even more so for binaries compiled with Compaq C (linked to libots).
> 
> I tried EV6/67 binaries on my AlphaPC 164SX (PCA56), they do not
> run... There is NO emulation in the SRM that I'm aware of, to make
> older cpus compatible with newer cpu instructions... Compaq seldom
> thought that far ahead.
> 
> As for MVI, I know of only one program that uses MVI, that's ffmpeg
> (thus Mplayer). So compiling PCA56 binaries for an EV6 should work
> fine. Never really tested it though. Sincerely, Will L G
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: axp-list-bounces at redhat.com
> [mailto:axp-list-bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Matt Turner
> Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 11:22
> To: Linux on Alpha processors
> Subject: Re: How to upload compiled packages?
> 
> On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 12:05 PM, Will L Givens <diskman at kc.rr.com>
> wrote:
> > EV5 and EV6 binaries are not compatible. Not because of MVI but
> > because of the different processors and the binaries themselves.
> > MVI is only used by
> a
> > few programs such as FFMPEG. One of the big sticking point is the
> > out of order execution, EV5/PCA56 simply can't do it.
> 
> No, this isn't correct at all. Compatibility has nothing to do with in
> order vs out of order execution. EV6 will run any EV5 binary. The only
> thing preventing compatibility is the instruction extensions (BWX,
> MVI, FIX, CIX). In most cases, given a new  SRM/PALcode, EV5s can
> emulate instructions they don't support in hardware.
> 
> Compilers may optimize for EV6 or EV5 by reordering instructions given
> their in order/out of order nature, but it doesn't directly affect
> compatibility.
> 
> Matt

I haven't compiled for Linux/axp in ages, but I do remember that the
Compaq compilers on Tru64 (and Linux, I guess) had a compiler flag,
that optimized the binary for a certain architecture (PCA56, EV6,
whatever) but left the binary backward compatible (and another compile
option where the binary wouldn't run on anything below the specified
architecture ;-)).

I don't think the user base of Fedora/axp (or any Linux/axp) justifies
for a dedicated EV6/EV67 spin, does it? ;)