Re: Cyrix M2

Joerg Pommnitz (Joerg@raleigh.ibm.com)
Thu, 24 Apr 1997 07:39:42 -0400

Mike Jagdis wrote:
>
> (Cyrix had to use FP registers for MMX to be at all compatible
> with Intel. I don't think they liked having to do it :-). Intel
> did it to save the cost of engineering their silicon to hold a
> few more registers.)

AFAIK the main reason was, not to break existing operating systems.
These OS don't know how to save MMX registers on task switchs. I
don't see how Cyrix would have solved this problem.

--
Joerg Pommnitz   |Joerg@Raleigh.ibm.com| Never attribute to malloc 
Mobile/Wireless  |Dept UMRA            | that which can be adequately
T/L (919)254-6397|Office B502/E117     | explained by stupidity.