From owner-freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Mar 19 18:54:02 2010 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7022D106566C; Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:54:02 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from scottl@samsco.org) Received: from pooker.samsco.org (pooker.samsco.org [168.103.85.57]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2B17E8FC19; Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:54:01 +0000 (UTC) Received: from phobos.samsco.home (phobos.samsco.home [192.168.254.11]) (authenticated bits=0) by pooker.samsco.org (8.14.3/8.14.3) with ESMTP id o2JIrkLp001323; Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:53:46 -0600 (MDT) (envelope-from scottl@samsco.org) Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v1077) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii From: Scott Long In-Reply-To: <4BA3C41F.3000404@elischer.org> Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:53:45 -0600 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message-Id: <5BED0721-442C-44B3-8B23-3D94BE5354A9@samsco.org> References: <4BA2CE17.2050105@delphij.net> <201003190751.26767.jhb@freebsd.org> <4BA3C41F.3000404@elischer.org> To: Julian Elischer X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.1077) X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.0 required=3.8 tests=ALL_TRUSTED autolearn=unavailable version=3.3.0 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.0 (2010-01-18) on pooker.samsco.org Cc: d@delphij.net, freebsd-arch@freebsd.org Subject: Re: [PATCH] Utilize i686, SSE and MMX by default on FreeBSD/i386 X-BeenThere: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion related to FreeBSD architecture List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:54:02 -0000 On Mar 19, 2010, at 12:36 PM, Julian Elischer wrote: > John Baldwin wrote: >> On Thursday 18 March 2010 9:06:31 pm Xin LI wrote: >>> Hi, >>>=20 >>> I think it doesn't really make sense to by default use = MACHINE_CPU=3Di486 >>> when the kernel is built with SSE by default today. >>>=20 >>> Attached patch uses i686 SSE MMX by default, the user can always = change >>> the default setting by overriding CPUTYPE (they have to do it as SSE = is >>> enabled by default for several years). >> The kernel is only built with support for userland applications using = SSE, it does not _use_ SSE. Similarly, the kernel is built with support = for PG_NX provided on 64-bit processors, but it does not do so by = failing to support older 32-bit processors. I think this change is = premature. Users can already set CPUTYPE in make.conf. Also, most = modern x86 server-class machines are >> 64-bit in which case they would be running FreeBSD/amd64 and using = SSE >> already. >=20 >=20 > and a lot of low power boxes (e.g. soekris) are 586 class. >=20 Are these machines typically installed via a GENERIC kernel from = freebsd.org release CD's? Maybe there's a market to create a new = mini-distribution tailored for these devices. It would come with a = suitable kernel and install/setup tools. Scott