🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <Apr.16.22.18.25.1989.11912@paul.rutgers.edu> jac@paul.rutgers.edu (J. A. Chandross) writes:
>tassos@rti.UUCP (Tassos Markas) writes:
>> I'm looking for independent architecture compilers.
>> This compiler should accept a high level langauage (I would prefer C) and
>> produce microcode that can be easily retargeted for any system architecture.
>
>Microcode compilation is a very hard problem for non-traditional architectures.
>(I know, I've tried.) If you have something fairly straightforward, ie a 
>non-VLIW you may be able to use one of the existing retargetable microcode
>compilers.  Otherwise, write it from scratch.  It's a lot easier than coercing 
>something designed for a relatively simple machine into working for your 
>machine.
>

I agree with Chandross that in many cases, it is better to write the micro-code
from scratch. Considering the amount of micro-code in a machine (especially the
really timetime critical bits), it is often quicker to rewrite the micro-code as
opposed to writing (or porting) a truly optimizing compiler to a new architecture.

If you have a lot of *critical* micro-code, (by a lot, I mean tens of K words),
you should question the need. [Remember, this is a proponent of micro-code 
talking.]

Stanley Chow  ..!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!schow%bnr-public
	      (613) 763-2831

Clever disclaimers are hard to come by, I will save them for the articles
that need them. For now: I speak only for myself.