Re: 64-bit Architecture

["Alex Charyna" <charyna@ellipsys.com>]

(Driving the off-topic bus).

If that Itanium is *significantly* different that existing x86 stuff,
we should expect all existing software (for every x86 OS) to
break?
I would imagine there would be another "compatability" layer
built in to the OSes.
Are we talking difference like 68K -> PowerPC and VAX->Alpha?
or is more a speed bump?

thanks....
-alex

----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Cappuccio <chris@dqc.org>
To: Dave Taira <bodhi@hagakure.org>
Cc: <misc@openbsd.org>
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 1:22 PM
Subject: Re: 64-bit Architecture


> On Fri, 1 Sep 2000, Dave Taira wrote:
>
>  | On Fri, 1 Sep 2000, Brad wrote:
>  |
>  | > Since when does Intel have a 64-bit x86 architecture ?
>  |
>  | http://developer.intel.com/design/ia-64/
>  |
>  | Not actually available to consumers yet, thus "plans" below.
>
> Well, Itanium is probably going to be significantly different from 80x86
to
> warrant a separate port (including the fact that the CPU does not run x86
> instructions)..The GCC work has already be done by SGI.
>
> The AMD processor will run with the i386 port from the start, most likely,
or
> will require minor modifications.  I do not know what will be required to
> support the 64-bit mode, but it may be possible to support it in the i386
> port.
>
> --
> Rev. Chris Cappuccio -=- http://www.dqc.org/~chris/
>
>