Newsgroups: comp.arch Path: utzoo!henry From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Do RISC Compilers Consider Multipro Message-ID: <1988May8.022544.17676@utzoo.uucp> Organization: U of Toronto Zoology References: <620@speedy.mcnc.org>, <28200140@urbsdc> Date: Sun, 8 May 88 02:25:44 GMT > Agree with your concern - many RISCs, especially those with register > windows, have greatly increased context switch penalties. However, they may be able to get more done between context switches, by virtue of the extra performance bought by that extra state. This may well end up reducing the average degree of multiprogramming and the number of context switches. Context-switch penalty BY ITSELF is significant only if you're interested in latency to the near-total exclusion of throughput. -- NASA is to spaceflight as | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology the Post Office is to mail. | {ihnp4,decvax,uunet!mnetor}!utzoo!henry