Re: [BUGFIX] Fix AES-NI CTR optimization compiling failure with gas2.16.1

From: Avi Kivity
Date: Fri Mar 12 2010 - 03:46:23 EST


On 03/12/2010 10:42 AM, David Miller wrote:
From: Avi Kivity<avi@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:37:33 +0200

Eventually you'll port the entire assembler into macros, as
instructions are introduced more frequently that people upgrade their
assemblers. Maybe we should disable the new features and warn people
(and distros) to upgrade their tools instead.
I totally and completely disagree.

It would have taken more than a year to get Niagara cpu support out to
people if I had done what you are suggesting.

Strange, that people can install a new kernel, but not a new assembler.

And here we're talking about one instruction in one specialized case
in a very piece of crypto module assembler.

If it were one place, I'd agree, but there are more. kvm for example also uses .byte instead of the actual instructions.

--
Do not meddle in the internals of kernels, for they are subtle and quick to panic.

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