News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on New optimizations for X86 in upcoming GCC 5.0: PIC in 32 bit mode.

Re:New optimizations for X86 in upcoming GCC 5.0: PIC in 32 ... by hdante on Wednesday April 15, 2015 @07:22AM (#9380156)
It makes no sense to use the x86 ABI today. 32-bit processors are not produced anymore (since post Pentium 4/~10 years ago). 64 bit mode is much better and even provides a better 32-bit ABI. The improvement in GCC 5 should be seen as an improvement for legacy software.

As an analogy, seeing it as a "refresh" for the old x86 ABI is like a patient that goes to the doctor and says he cuts his wrists every week and the doctor solution is to give him iron supplements.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:New optimizations for X86 in upcoming GCC 5.0: PIC in 32 ... by feld on Wednesday April 15, 2015 @08:40AM (#9380534)
There are a lot of embedded 32bit x86 still being produced. Just because it's not in your desktop anymore doesn't mean it ceased to exist.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:New optimizations for X86 in upcoming GCC 5.0: PIC in 32 ... by mrsteveman1 on Wednesday April 15, 2015 @07:52PM (#9385032)
Indeed, Intel is still actively producing new 32-bit CPUs with their Quark line [1], and quite a few consumer products that people would easily recognize have shipped [2] in the last few years with 32-bit Atom SoC's.

The PC Engines ALIX [3] series (with a 32-bit AMD Geode LX onboard), is also pretty widely used as a firewall/router, and is actively supported by pfSense and several other software distributions.

[1] http://ark.intel.com/products/family/79047

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_(system_on_chip)

[3] http://www.pcengines.ch/alix.htm

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:New optimizations for X86 in upcoming GCC 5.0: PIC in 32 ... by throwaia32 on Wednesday April 15, 2015 @10:16AM (#9381081)
See also, https://www-ssl.intel.com/content/www/us/en/do-it-yourself/e... . 32-bit x86 is alive and well in the embedded devices segment and will be for some time to come.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:New optimizations for X86 in upcoming GCC 5.0: PIC in 32 ... by Narishma on Wednesday April 15, 2015 @09:00AM (#9380640)
Up until recently, a lot of Atoms were 32-bit only. Mostly for market segmentation reasons.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:New optimizations for X86 in upcoming GCC 5.0: PIC in 32 ... by userbinator on Wednesday April 15, 2015 @09:38AM (#9380863)
Also power consumption/die area.
[ Parent | on HN ]