[fpc-devel]Re: Latest status

[Stefan Ziegenbalg]

Hi,

Florian Klaempfl wrote:
> I know all this discussions but here I see the iA64 from the view
> of the compiler designer :) and here the iA64 is brilliant. But I don't think
> that the iA64 will be important the next years, but it will get interesting
> when the transistor count of processors reaches 10^9 to 10^10. Having SMT _and_
> the variable VLIW concept of the iA64 will be probably the only the solution
> to use a lot of execution units ...
> 
> Regarding x86-64: It sounds interesting but I can't believe that AMD has
> the power to introduce it into the market. 

I don't think so, because the marked for for 64-bit consumer PCs is
empty. 

The IA64 is a very good design. But it is so complex, that the CPUs will
be too expensive for home usage. AMD Clawhammer will be sold in two (or
maybe in one) year by Aldi! The x86-64 CPUs will be the continuation of
the x86 line (take a look at the AMD processor roadmap:
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/VirtualPressRoom/0,,51_104_608,00.html
). 

> What I suspect what happens is if the x86-64
> gets too big and the iA64 fails Intels extend the x86 architecture as well
> to 64 bit

If Intel starts to develop their own 64-bit extension for x86 in 2002
they will finish their design not before 2005, when AMD x86-64 is
already established.


I'm wondering a little bit that you write the IA64 support first. It's a
totally new design. For using the full potential a good optimization is
required. (That means loop analysis, unrolling, ... ) It's a big
challenge.

Concerning optimization, I'm not a compiler expert, but isn't it
possible to make the backend compatible to the backend used by Intel
Fortran and C/C++ Compiler. Replacing the fpc backend by the Intel
backend would result in a dramatically faster Programs, especially for
P4 and IA64 in the future. That's just an idea, I'm not a expert.


Regards
Stefan

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