Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mailrus!ames!amdahl!nsc!taux01!orr
From: orr@taux01.UUCP (Orr Michael )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.nsc.32k
Subject: Re: kit wishlist and software
Message-ID: <537@taux01.UUCP>
Date: 30 Mar 88 15:14:47 GMT
References: <880@PT.CS.CMU.EDU> <177@anumb.UUCP> <585@naucse.UUCP> <1006@ur-tut.UUCP> <23506@hi.unm.edu>
Reply-To: orr@taux01.UUCP (Orr Michael )
Organization: National Semiconductor (Israel) Ltd.
Lines: 41
Keywords: 32k kit, cheap unix.

In article <23506@hi.unm.edu> cyrus@hi.unm.edu (Tait Cyrus) writes:
>
>We are currently porting GENIX to our hardware.
>To those of you who have suggested using GENIX, I would say DO NOT
>USE IT.  Namely, the GENIX C compiler, along with GENIX itself,
>uses external procedures (i.e. cxp, rxp, lxp, etc) which is VERY
>VERY VERY VERY............ SLOW.  It is my understand that the NS
>SYSV, though, does NOT use the external procedure stuff which will
>make it a lot faster than GENIX.
>
	This is partly right. The CTP compilers of NS only use the
 external call mechanism as a special option. True enough, these calls
 are slow , BUT, they provide a unique capability. The way this works 
 is that you can generate code that is totally free from relocateable 
 addresses. All references to entities visible across modules is done 
 utilizing "link tables". This makes it possible to change one module,
 with out making it necessary to re-compile all other modules. In ROM 
 based application (for example) this makes it  less expensive, as you
 have to replace fewer ROM chips.
	Normally, however you are right - only JSR (actually most of
    the time BSR) and RET are used.
(I should know - I am currently responsible for the code generator
 of the CTP compilers)

>
>We would like to go to the 32532 in our next iteration of our design
>for both our I/O and compute engines so I would be interested in
>in any 32532 designs.
>
  I think that NS and/or several other companies have announced 32532
  VME SBC's.

orr@nsc.NSC.COM		  	      IBM's motto: Machines should work,
{amdhal,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,sun}!nsc!orr             People should think.
                                 	      Orr's remark: Neither do.
Disclaimer: Opinions, come home. All is forgiven. Papa.
-- 
orr%@nsc.NSC.COM		  	      IBM's motto: Machines should work,
{amdhal,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,sun}!nsc!orr             People should think.
                                 	      Orr's remark: Neither do.
Disclaimer: Opinions, come home. All is forgiven. Papa.