On Tuesday 05 December 2000 19:44, you wrote:
> Hello,
>
> One of the things that I like most about Linux-Mandrake is that it is
> optimized for Pentium-class machines. I find that it gives a real speedup.
> However, after watching the latest Pentium4/FlasK Mpeg debacle on Tom's
> Hardware, it occurred to me that perhaps an Athlon/Duron optimized build
> would be nice also. There seems to be some precedent in that a
> 386-compiled version is usually released a little while after the
> pentium-compiled release. Are there any plans to do this?
Ummm, that's a 486 compiled version. If you can find a 386 to run
KDE/Netscape/StarOffice, I'll eat it without mayonnaise.
>
> VanL
Umm, almost exactly the same instruction set.
Moreover, some experiments showed optimizing for the 686-class machines
SLOWED the product. We probably need better optimizing compilers, designed
for optimizing AMDs, than are available today to make any real gains.
Finally, 686-class code tightens the timing requirements on IDE beyond what
we have now, and there's way too much sloppy hardware out there. We have
people who could boot 7.0 and 7.1 who can't touch 7.2 cause the kernel was
changed to accommodate ATA/100 drives (and works fine with 386 code) but the
leeway or slop allowed from stated specification tolerances for IDE hardware
are very tiny with 586 code... Meaning that bad hardware doesn't boot
_because_ we optimize, and many users say mandrake sucks because it won't
boot on their hardware.
Of course, you have been added to the list of potential volunteer testers,
for when testing becomes practical. .-)
Civileme
