Subject: Re: bootable cdrom
To: Sean Davis <dive@endersgame.net>
From: Michael <macallan18@earthlink.net>
List: port-sparc64
Date: 02/13/2005 12:08:36
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Hello,

>> I've often wished to be let at the real metal on a modern CPU.  (Well,
>> I suppose I can get (close to) that by getting a powerpc or some such.
>> I guess I really mean "I've often wished I could get a modern cheap 
>> CPU
>> without the performance-crippling x86 emulation layer".)
>
> now THAT would be nice. NetBSD/pprorisc? (sure, the name leaves lots 
> to be
> desired) but the idea is... yummy. Too bad I have NFI how to do it, if 
> it's
> even possible :-\

Well, AMD's K6 processors allegedly had a 'native' mode where they 
would fetch 'RISC86' instructions and bypass the emulator. Newer VIA 
processors have something similar and I wouldn't be surprised if K7 and 
K8 CPUs do too, sadly I couldn't get any halfway usable information out 
of AMD, they only mentioned it now and then.

have fun
Michael
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