On Fri, 21 Mar 2003, Oden Eriksson wrote:

> I have to concur. Mandrake Linux won't even pass first boot on non i686 due
> to the /lib/i686 mess. Because of this Mandrake can not state that it runs
> on i586 and later.

Please, don't make broken assumptions and first check facts before saying 
that. Because obviouly, one should have read your paragraph as: Mandrake 
Linux *did not* install out-of-the box on a VIA C3 processor because 
kernel reported it as an "i686" though it did not fully support CMOV 
instruction. And because gcc optimised i686 libraries as i686 (aka. 
PentiumPro with CMOV feature), that caused illegal instructions on a C3.

Since MDK 9.0 release, *months* ago, kernel was fixed and no longer
reports any processor as i686 if it does not support cmov instructions. So
Mandrake Linux *does* pass first boot on non-i686 thanks to i686 libraries
going into a separate directory, namely /lib/i686, then the default ones
(i586 in */lib/*).

Or you have to point me to a valid bug report telling otherwise. ;-)

> What's the point with /lib/i686? It isn't possible to have i386, i486,
> i586, ppc, etc. in there also?

- ppc is not arch compatible with x86.
- glibc benefits from i686 build because: there are hand-tuned assembly
code for i686, floating stacks support along with kernel >= 2.4.1, high
resolution timers, etc.

Bye,
Gwenole.


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