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From: tim@amdcad.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Packed Assembly Format
Message-ID: <14576@amdcad.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Feb-87 21:40:46 EST
Article-I.D.: amdcad.14576
Posted: Mon Feb  2 21:40:46 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 3-Feb-87 22:42:46 EST
Organization: AMDCAD, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 18

I picked up Dr. Tannenbaum's book at the Computer Literacy Store in Sunnyvale,
CA (They've got a *slew* of them, now!), and have a question concerning the
chosen library format.  Basically (as far as I can tell), all non-executable,
compiled code (i.e. separately compiled "object" modules and libraries) are
stored in "Packed Assembly Language."  In the book, Dr. Tannenbaum says that
this was done to conserve space to allow single-floppy operation.  However,
I just cannot figure out how this format can conserve space over the actual
object code stored in a standard object file format.  For example:

	add	AX,DX		is a minimum of 8 bytes, while the
				object code for the equivalent instruction
				is only 2 bytes.

Am I missing something?

	Tim Olson
	Advanced Micro Devices
	Sunnyvale, CA