From owner-freebsd-hackers Mon Jan 19 17:28:42 1998 Return-Path: Received: (from majordom@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) id RAA13258 for hackers-outgoing; Mon, 19 Jan 1998 17:28:42 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG) Received: from compaq.com (mailext02.compaq.com [207.18.199.33]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id RAA13247 for ; Mon, 19 Jan 1998 17:28:27 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from hykel@yoda.eng.hou.compaq.com) Received: from mail.compaq.com(really [207.18.199.36]) by compaq.com via sendmail with smtp id for ; Mon, 19 Jan 1998 11:33:00 -0600 (CST) (Smail-3.2.0.92 1997-Feb-9 #2 built 1997-Sep-10) Received: from yoda.eng.hou.compaq.com(really [131.168.159.247]) by mail.compaq.com via sendmail with smtp id for ; Mon, 19 Jan 98 11:38:09 -0600 (CST) (/\##/\ Smail3.1.30.16 #30.2 built 25-may-96) Received: by yoda.eng.hou.compaq.com (Smail3.1.26.7/COMPAQ-HESIOD) id m0xuL9E-000AwZC; Mon, 19 Jan 98 11:38 CST Message-Id: From: hykel@yoda.eng.hou.compaq.com (Richard Hykel) Subject: Re: what does MMX mean? To: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Date: Mon, 19 Jan 98 11:38:07 CST X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4dev PL11] Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk I have already replied to Archie, but perhaps the list might be interested in this part also. --------------------------------------------------------------------- According to the FAQ from Intel's developer website, http://developer.intel.com/drg/mmx/Support/faq.htm, MMX(TM) is not an acronym. They filed for a trade mark world wide, and probably already received it in most cases. But to answer what you really appear to be looking for, MMX(TM) is the trademarked name for the technology that is used to speed up matrix math. There are new matrix math instructions and registers available on processors with MMX(TM) technology. Check out http://developer.intel.com/drg/news/class3/sld031.htm and search their website for 'MMX' and 'matrix math' The information that I found referenced integer operations only. It appears that << Archie Cobbs >> wrote: > > > What, exactly, does MMX mean? > > Does it mean the processor has NEW instructions for DSP type operations? > Does it speed up EXISTING instructions? Integer or floating point (or both)? > > Thanks, > -Archie > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > Archie Cobbs * Whistle Communications, Inc. * http://www.whistle.com > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Richard Hykel Compaq Computer Corporation hykel@twisto.compaq.com Disclamer: Opinions expressed are my own, not Compaq's. ---------------------------------------------------------------------