- Oct 9, 1999
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There was a day when you compiled programs specifically for certain CPUs. If the Pentium X performed better on certain instructions than the Pentium Z, you told the compiler you were going to use the Pentium X, and the compiler would adjust. That meant it probably wouldn't run on the Z, but it was worth it to squeeze out that extra performance. We did this with Unix kernels.
These days, programs are compiled for the lowest common denominator because no one knows what x86 CPU you might be using. It's obviously impractical for software vendors to carry multiple versions, and in most situations it wouldn't even matter.
With open source software and a good compiler, you could take care of things yourself if you had an application which needed every bit of speed (processing audio/video, or CAD applications).
Does anyone have an idea about how much of a boost you could get from a program if it was compiled specifically for, say, a P4 vs. the generic x86?
These days, programs are compiled for the lowest common denominator because no one knows what x86 CPU you might be using. It's obviously impractical for software vendors to carry multiple versions, and in most situations it wouldn't even matter.
With open source software and a good compiler, you could take care of things yourself if you had an application which needed every bit of speed (processing audio/video, or CAD applications).
Does anyone have an idea about how much of a boost you could get from a program if it was compiled specifically for, say, a P4 vs. the generic x86?