From owner-freebsd-ia64@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Apr 26 02:41:38 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-ia64@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1DB2237B401 for ; Sat, 26 Apr 2003 02:41:38 -0700 (PDT) Received: from ns1.xcllnt.net (209-128-86-226.BAYAREA.NET [209.128.86.226]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2F4EE43FDD for ; Sat, 26 Apr 2003 02:41:37 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from marcel@xcllnt.net) Received: from dhcp01.pn.xcllnt.net (dhcp01.pn.xcllnt.net [192.168.4.201]) by ns1.xcllnt.net (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h3Q9fawk024532; Sat, 26 Apr 2003 02:41:36 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from marcel@piii.pn.xcllnt.net) Received: from dhcp01.pn.xcllnt.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by dhcp01.pn.xcllnt.net (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h3Q9faO7001089; Sat, 26 Apr 2003 02:41:36 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from marcel@dhcp01.pn.xcllnt.net) Received: (from marcel@localhost) by dhcp01.pn.xcllnt.net (8.12.9/8.12.9/Submit) id h3Q9faGc001088; Sat, 26 Apr 2003 02:41:36 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from marcel) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 02:41:35 -0700 From: Marcel Moolenaar To: Kris Kennaway Message-ID: <20030426094135.GA970@dhcp01.pn.xcllnt.net> References: <20030426073334.GA85139@rot13.obsecurity.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20030426073334.GA85139@rot13.obsecurity.org> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.3i cc: ia64@freebsd.org Subject: Re: InformationWeek: Intel Sees A 32-Bit Hole In Itanium X-BeenThere: freebsd-ia64@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting FreeBSD to the IA-64 List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 09:41:38 -0000 On Sat, Apr 26, 2003 at 12:33:34AM -0700, Kris Kennaway wrote: > IA-32 Execution Layer will take 32-bit code and convert it to 64-bit > code that the Itanium processor can run, an Intel spokeswoman > says. I wonder why the conversion if ia64 can already run ia32 applications. Maybe Intel is planning to retire the ia32 execution unit early to make room for caches and additional functional units? > Is this something that FreeBSD can/should get involved with? I think it will be a waste of time. We already have ia32 support that we probably don't maintain enough. Something else only adds to the workload and it's not that we have people lining up :-) I think we should allocate our spare resources to work on native ia64 and native FreeBSD and make it a kick-ass server. If we get bored after that, we can always take on the battle with i386 and amd64 by adding compatibility layers and emulation fodder. Just my $0.02 -- Marcel Moolenaar USPA: A-39004 marcel@xcllnt.net