mark@umcp-cs.UUCP (11/19/83)
I do think the considerations given for HLL RISC are irrelevant
for computer architecture, and here is why:
The fundamental mistake that architects make is assuming that
they are constructing a machine to be used by a human being.
The RISC's have an answer to this: 99.999% of the code executed
on a modern mini or larger computer is written in a HLL and
so generated not by a human being but by a compiler.
Therefore, should the architecture have special traps built
into it to handle special cases (like the 17th parameter,
as was mentioned in the mail I am replying to)?
Absolutely not! The compiler can handle this case just fine,
and differently depending on the application and language,
much better than in general purpose hardware mechanism can.
Hardware should concentrate on being FAST, and having lots
of places to put things. Software should concentrate
on what is done with those things.
--
spoken: mark weiser
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!mark
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