In message <200111270950.UAA09374@avalon.reed.wattle.id.au>Darren Reed writes


>Only pre-sparc-v8 has no hardware multiply, from my code generation tests
>using SUNWspro CC.  The SPARC chip in the SS2 is a version 8 (or at least
>the powerup is O:-) and runs "gcc -mv8" code without a hitch.

Yep, but for a GENERIC kernel config, we have to build for the lowest
common denominator: either build without -mv8, or pay the cost
of trapping and emulating.  And --  at least on SunOS 4.1.{3_u1,4} --,
that cost was bloody horrendous.   

Aren't new Intel CPUs pretty damn slow (comparatively) at
nonconstant integer multiplies, also?