> >From: "Alex R.N. Wetmore" <alexw+@andrew.cmu.edu>
> 
> >Excerpts from internet.computing.netbsd.port-i386: 13-Dec-95 Re: should
> >we be using -m486?  by M. HeadCandy.com@HeadCan 
> 
> It would seem rather obvious to me that using the -m486 flag will allow
> the compiler to include 486-specific instructions in the resulting code.
> If a given program still works on a 386 it is due to luck, and should
> not be depended on.
> 
> Since the 386 systems are the slowest of the x86 machines, requiring them
> to recompile in order to be sure the code will work would be rather rude.

Since the kernel config file includes a cpu/option command to define
in which CPU's would the code run, why not modify config(8) to look
at these arguments and decide which option is best suited for the
intended kernel ?

This also leaves space for a -m586 option when it arises and could also
be used by other architectures if similar problems exist.

JMHO,

					Jonny

--
Joao Carlos Mendes Luis			jonny@coe.ufrj.br
+55 21 290-4698 ( Job )			jonny@cisi.coppe.ufrj.br
Network Manager				UFRJ/COPPE/CISI
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro