Groups > comp.os.os2.programmer.misc > #1527

Re: CPU Type field in LX header

From	"A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind>
Message-ID	<dWF0uWVMuGJo-pn2-x7K3sdddN6O9@localhost> (permalink)
Newsgroups	comp.os.os2.programmer.misc
Subject	Re: CPU Type field in LX header
References	<nug59g$g0d$1@dont-email.me> <580ba66e$0$7910$b1db1813$e2fc9064@news.astraweb.com> <nuggca$q4h$1@gwaiyur.mb-net.net> <580c27da$0$8235$c3e8da3$cc4fe22d@news.astraweb.com>
Organization	XS News
Date	2016-10-23 10:46 +0200

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 > That's true, but if targeting i486, why not target i686?

Why target i686? Typically you'll have to document it, because OS/2 is
i386+. Or rename a product to "... for eCS". eCS is i686+.

 >  I started targeting i686 during the Mozilla 10ESR cycle
 > and have yet to have a complaint about sigills

Mozilla is the best example why a i686 can be a good target, because 
browsing with a i486 would be "insane". But there's no reason why a 
CONFIG.SYS sorter should target the i686 family.

 > Seems that most every OS/2  user has something that handles
 > i686 instructions

You'ld use older $5 hardware for specific apps which have stopped 
working, for example due to required old native video drivers.

If using involves browsing of third-party websites, then a i686 is the
bottom line because of the installable memory. If a i686 would be the 
default of GCC, then remaining users won't complain indeed, and owners
of old hardware will be familiar with such a PITA.

OTOH I'm not using the latest FF due to the assumed eCS 2.x 
environment, so I've left your Mozilla for OS/2 community "silently".

In a nutshell, a 386 is the best default target. Same as the OS. 
That's why. Otherwise it should be documented as a specific 
requirement. If your users are probably using a modern browser, 
including video, and your app requires power (video) or each 1% counts
(video), then a i686 can be a documented option. You won't even use a 
i686 to watch a video. If you assume the use of anything newer than a 
Pentium III, then people will leave your community silently. If the 
developer assumes the use of at least two cores, then even more people
will leave the community silently. FF49+ requires a Pentium 4 or 
newer. AFAIK the latest FF for OS/2 assumes eCS 2, which comes down to
reducing the community too.

In 99.99% of all cases, rounded up to 100%, I won't notice the use of 
a i686 setting. I may not be aware of a marginal speed gain, and I'll 
be using a i686+. Hence no complaints. But programmers should document
it, because the technical bottom line of the environment is OS/2's 
386. Unless the use of a i686+s bleedin' obvious, like a browser which
requires a little bit more RAM than the 32'ish MB of a 486. The 
required memory requires a i686 or newer. FF38 works with a i686 CPU 
or with a Pentium 4.

Or stop writing software for OS/2 and finally start writing software 
for eCS. eCS comes down to i686+, and users of OS/2 Warp 4 FP9  will 
be aware of restrictions, including possibly required APIs. An 
acceptable bottom line of OS/2 FP versions is the Y2K FP. 

BTW, internet services which require a registration of users to report
bugs will also reduce the number of complaints.


--

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Thread

CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-22 18:49 +0200
  Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Doug Bissett" <dougb007!SPAM@telus.net> - 2016-10-22 17:32 +0000
    Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-23 18:35 +0200
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-24 11:20 +0200
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Doug Bissett" <dougb007!SPAM@telus.net> - 2016-10-25 16:50 +0000
        Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-26 17:37 +0200
          Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Doug Bissett" <dougb007!SPAM@telus.net> - 2016-10-26 19:15 +0000
            Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-29 15:41 +0200
              Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-29 11:43 -0700
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Steven Levine" <steve53@nomail.earthlink.net> - 2016-11-09 19:36 -0600
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-11-10 08:52 -0800
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Steven Levine" <steve53@nomail.earthlink.net> - 2016-11-11 10:41 -0600
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-11-11 17:04 -0800
              Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Doug Bissett" <dougb007!SPAM@telus.net> - 2016-10-29 22:22 +0000
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-11-01 17:47 +0100
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Doug Bissett" <dougb007!SPAM@telus.net> - 2016-11-01 19:18 +0000
  Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-22 10:48 -0700
    Re: CPU Type field in LX header Marcel Mueller <news.5.maazl@spamgourmet.org> - 2016-10-22 21:58 +0200
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-22 23:47 +0200
        Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-22 20:05 -0700
          Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-23 11:08 +0200
            Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-23 10:33 -0700
              Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-24 12:36 +0200
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2016-10-25 16:53 -0400
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-27 10:49 +0200
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-28 21:14 -0700
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-31 14:14 +0100
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-31 07:59 -0700
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-11-01 14:46 +0100
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-28 21:07 -0700
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-22 20:00 -0700
        Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-23 10:46 +0200
          Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-23 10:58 -0700
            Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-24 13:04 +0200
              Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-28 21:28 -0700
                Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-31 14:49 +0100
            Re: CPU Type field in LX header "A.D. Fundum" <what.ever@neverm.ind> - 2016-10-24 13:24 +0200
    Re: CPU Type field in LX header Paul Smedley <paul@smedley.id.au> - 2016-10-23 11:49 +1030
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-22 20:11 -0700
        Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-23 11:09 -0700
          Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Steven Levine" <steve53@nomail.earthlink.net> - 2016-10-26 15:44 -0500
            Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-28 20:56 -0700
              Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Steven Levine" <steve53@nomail.earthlink.net> - 2016-11-09 19:38 -0600
        Re: CPU Type field in LX header Paul Smedley <paul@smedley.id.au> - 2016-10-27 19:30 +1030
          Re: CPU Type field in LX header Paul Smedley <paul@smedley.id.au> - 2016-10-29 11:39 +1030
            Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-28 20:54 -0700
    Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-23 18:45 +0200
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header Marcel Mueller <news.5.maazl@spamgourmet.org> - 2016-10-23 19:32 +0200
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-23 11:06 -0700
    Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Steven Levine" <steve53@nomail.earthlink.net> - 2016-10-26 13:44 -0500
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-29 14:37 +0200
        Re: CPU Type field in LX header Paul Smedley <paul@smedley.id.au> - 2016-10-30 12:13 +1030
          Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-30 08:57 +0100
        Re: CPU Type field in LX header "Steven Levine" <steve53@nomail.earthlink.net> - 2016-11-09 19:54 -0600
          Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-11-12 14:48 +0100
  Re: CPU Type field in LX header Dave Yeo <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> - 2016-10-22 11:02 -0700
  Re: CPU Type field in LX header Marcel Mueller <news.5.maazl@spamgourmet.org> - 2016-10-22 21:54 +0200
  Re: CPU Type field in LX header Lars Erdmann <lars.erdmann@arcor.de> - 2016-10-23 12:56 +0200
    Re: CPU Type field in LX header David Parsons <dwparsons@t-online.de> - 2016-10-23 18:20 +0200
      Re: CPU Type field in LX header Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2016-10-23 15:11 -0400

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