Re: 686

Article View: aus.computers.linux

Article #58301

Back to aus.computers.linux Previous Next

#58301

From: Paul Gortmaker
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 00:00

24 lines
1384 bytes

Bruce Campbell <campbell.bruce.ba@bhp.com.au> writes:

>I am about to embark on purchasing a 686 for my linux box. I 
>visited the Cyrix web page which has a compatible OS list. 
>Linux is there (although it gives no details of version or 
>quirks)

Some useless facts and rumours:

The 6x86 doesn't support the pentium "undocumented" 4MB pages feature,
which results in a slight performance hit. Linux uses this feature
unless you boot with "mem=nopentium".  (fact)

The 6x86 doesn't have a built in APIC (Cyrix and AMD are pushing OpenPIC)
so you can't currently run a 6x86 in a SMP configuration on multi-
processor boards like the ones from ASUS or Tyan. (fact)

Some people claim the 6x86 is optimized to run 16bit code (i.e. Win
apps) more so than 32 bit stuff like Linux (rumour)

Supposedly Cyrix and Linus are "talking" so that Linux can officially
take advantage of performance features of the 6x86 (rumour)

Paul.

Technical Details

Message-ID: <4qt1lk$hj4@leonard.anu.edu.au>

Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!unknown!not-for-mail

References: <4q93td$rc6@pax.apana.org.au> <4qsrut$8t2@sydsun.itsyd.bhp.com.au>

Show Full Headers

Complete Article Headers

X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit
X-Google-Thread: 102983,46a284e9c5e7f5d3
X-Google-Attributes: gid102983,public
From: gpg109@leonard.anu.edu.au (Paul Gortmaker)
Subject: Re: 686
Date: 1996/06/27
Message-ID: <4qt1lk$hj4@leonard.anu.edu.au>
X-Deja-AN: 162300965
references: <4q93td$rc6@pax.apana.org.au> <4qsrut$8t2@sydsun.itsyd.bhp.com.au>
organization: Australian National University
newsgroups: aus.computers.linux

Reply to Parent Message