Path: utzoo!dptcdc!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!bbn!apple!voder!tolerant!rob
From: rob@tolerant.UUCP (Rob Kleinschmidt)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Complex Instructions
Summary: Benefits from atomicity of complex instructions.
Message-ID: <4101@tolerant.UUCP>
Date: 18 Apr 89 18:56:28 GMT
References: <57252@yale-celray.yale.UUCP>
Organization: Tolerant Systems Inc., San Jose California
Lines: 7

Once in a while, the atomic nature of a complex instruction can have
real advantages over a sequence of fast single cycle instructions.
Because the complex instruction cannot be interrupted in mid sequence,
there is no need to modify processor priority. This can allow better
manipulation of shared data items (linked lists, counters, etc.)
especially by user level processes. Anybody got a good way for a user
execute an un-interupted sequence of a dozen RISC instructions ?