Re: Why is GForth-ITC fast?

On Thu, 1 May 2008 04:43:05 -0700 (PDT), Robert Spykerman
<robert.spykerman@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>So that's another thing to try, subtract and load to mem instead of
>push. Would that be faster? Or just swap the stack into EBP like you
>did, Stephen? I got to see what the c compilers do.

The rules change for every major core architecture change. The
basics are:
1) shorter complex instructions don't buy anything any more,
2) updating ESP is expensive
3) avoid memory loads/stores

>By the way Stephen, if I may ask:
>
>1. When is the release linux version anticipated to be ready?

The Beta version is in preparation - if there are any
Debian packaging gurus out there, we would like to hear
from you! The rpms are no problem. We have a "one button"
build and release policy. Getting the script to build four
release packages automagically is tedious in the extreme.
We may end up just ignoring parts of the Debian Policy Manual!

>2. Are you going to eventually go AMD64/EM64T given the extra no. of
>registers and instructions?

Yes. But the astoni****ng rise of *cheap* Linux boxes with 486
class CPUs means that we have to sup****t 32 bit for a very long
time to come. See
  http://www.mpeforth.com/ngr.htm
for the eBox2300 family as an example.

If the 16 bit to 32 bit migration is anything to go by, it'll
take a few years before 64 bit O/S and apps are the majority.
We still have clients running and enhancing ProForth apps that
are over 10 years old. Some of these apps have been in the
field for 15 years. We put those kernels on "care and 
maintenance only" nearly 10 years ago.

I do not see 32 bit x86 CPUs going away any time soon, especially
in the industrial arena. This means that we'll have to maintain
and sup****t 32 bit systems for at least five years after 64 bit
tools go to production release.

>3. I'm not too bothered about an OS X version - only really messing
>with OS X because my wife has a mac, are there any plans this
>direction?

No comment for the moment, also for OpenSolaris, BSD ...

Stephen

-- 
Stephen Pelc, stephenXXX@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time
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