Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sunybcs!bingvaxu!leah!itsgw!steinmetz!uunet!vsi!friedl
From: friedl@vsi.UUCP (Stephen J. Friedl)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Segmented vs. linear architectures
Keywords: 80x86, segmentation, linear, architecture
Message-ID: <31@vsi.UUCP>
Date: 20 Feb 88 22:04:52 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: V-Systems -- Santa Ana, CA
Lines: 31

Netpeople,

     I am sure this has been debated before and I certainly don't
want to start a net war.  Just about everybody has an opinion
about the segmentation-vs-linear architectures question, and in
many camps it seems to be a strongly religious question.  I hap-
pen to dislike segmentation quite a bit -- I used to hack on an
old Z8000 machine -- but it is largely out of ignorance about the
reasoning behind it.  I cannot believe that there are *no* good
reasons for segementation and that *nobody* could ever find a use
for this way of doing things.

     I'm not looking to pick a processor for a product and I'm
not really looking to be "converted", but I would really like to
hear from dedicated segmentationalists on the reasoning behind
this.  No flames please, no "If God wanted non-segmentation he
would have put all our fingers on one hand" arguments :-), just
good technical thoughts.  Also, people who have strong well-
informed feelings against segmentation are welcome to respond as
well.

     Any responses should be sent by e-mail (remember, I don't
want to start a net war).  Others interested in this may send a
note and I'll mail them a summary of what I hear.

     Thanks much,
     Steve
-- 
Life : Stephen J. Friedl @ V-Systems Inc/Santa Ana, CA    *Hi Mom*
CSNet: friedl%vsi.uucp@kent.edu
uucp : {kentvax, uunet, attmail, ihnp4!amdcad!uport}!vsi!friedl