RFC: Optimizing for 386

[Sean Middleditch]

On Wed, 2005-01-19 at 10:26 -0600, Joseph D. Wagner wrote:
> > They're optimized for pentium4, but use the i386 instruction set.
> 
> There are instructions which have come out since the 386, like MMX,
> that could improve the performance of programs.  In this case,
> graphics programs.  Why should my graphics programs suffer because
> some fool is running a 20 year old computer?

File bugs for the apps that you *know* could use the optimization.  Make
sure the code actually can use those newer instructions and that the
compiler actually does any auto-vectorization for the code in question.
Provide benchmarks proving that performance increases instead of simply
blind and likely incorrect assumptions.

> 
> > this comes up a lot.
> 
> If that many people are crying for it, maybe it should be done.

Or maybe that many people are clueless.  Thankfully most of them are as
rude and obnoxious as certain others.

> 
> Joseph D. Wagner
> 
>