EM64T and linux

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Fri, Apr 28, 2006 at 03:53:29PM -0400, Phillip Qin wrote:
> But all the servers Dell offers use the EM64T. I have no choice. The port
> does say "The port consists of kernels for all AMD 64bit CPUs with AMD64
> extension and all Intel CPUs with EM64T extension, and a common 64bit
> userspace.".

There is the sane option of not buying from a stupid supplier. :)  Right
now Dell very much qualifies as a very stupid supplier.

You can just pretend they are xeons without em64t and run the i386
version on them.  It runs just as it always has.

The tests I have read about so far indicate that on averate an intel
with em64t runs long mode (64bit) slightly slower than 32bit mode in
general, and an Amd runs slightly faster in long mode than in 32bit
mode.  On a some very very pointer heavy code, both might be slightly
slower, but that is very unusual code.  On some fpu intensive code, both
are likely faster in long mode since it uses sse rather than x87
instructions for floating point in long mode.  It does very clearly show
that Amd designed their chip for 64bit, while intel patched it on as an
afterthought when it became necesary to compete.

Of course I don't like proprietary hardware which doesn't have free
drivers available, so whenever possible I avoid it.  Dell has a long
standing tradition of loving to ship the latest greatest proprietary
hardware.  I would NEVER buy a Dell system.  Their monitors and TVs
sure, but not their systems (or their printers for that matter).

Len Sorensen
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