Subject: Re: Floating point in the kernel
To: John F. Woods <jfw@jfwhome.funhouse.com>
From: Jason Thorpe <thorpej@nas.nasa.gov>
List: tech-kern
Date: 09/18/1998 09:52:50
On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 13:06:55 -0400 
 "John F. Woods" <jfw@jfwhome.funhouse.com> wrote:

 > It seems to me that this might be easier to support with kernel threads
 > (assuming that the thread context switching code doesn't assume that kernel
 > threads do not and cannot use floating point, which presumably said code
 > would -- at first).  Of course, a software modem probably would want to
 > run in interrupt context in a kernel not designed for real-time response.

Kernel threads wouldn't solve this, either.  Kernel threads are just that:
kernel code, but with their own context.  It has the same problems as any
kernel code using FP.

Jason R. Thorpe                                       thorpej@nas.nasa.gov
NASA Ames Research Center                            Home: +1 408 866 1912
NAS: M/S 258-5                                       Work: +1 650 604 0935
Moffett Field, CA 94035                             Pager: +1 650 940 5942