Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site anwar.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!hhb!anwar!bob From: bob@anwar.UUCP (Bob Erickson) Newsgroups: net.arch Subject: Re: Arbitrary byte alignment Message-ID: <122@anwar.UUCP> Date: Wed, 10-Oct-84 11:41:39 EDT Article-I.D.: anwar.122 Posted: Wed Oct 10 11:41:39 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 12-Oct-84 05:21:35 EDT Organization: HHB-Softron, Mahwah, NJ Lines: 26 A note about the Pyramid 90x. After further discussion between software and hardware engineers, it was determined that it wouldn't be very difficult or expensive (speedwise) to implement almost arbitrary byte alignment (e.g. longwords accessed on any even address) in the microcode. Pyramid will be offering this microcode change to its' customers real soon now. I think this implies that arbitrary byte alignment does not necessarily imply a performance penalty in the global throughput of a machine. I know compilers can be taught to do alignment, but many programmers using C's simple address arithmetic mechanisms, can't be. :-) -- ========================================================== Be Company: HHB-Softron 1000 Wyckoff Ave. Mahwah NJ 07430 201-848-8000 UUCP address: {ihnp4,decvax,allegra}!philabs!hhb!bob