Gentoo Archives: gentoo-dev

From: Drake Wyrm <wyrm@×××××.com>
To: gentoo-dev@××××××××××××.org, gentoo-dev@××××××××××××.org
Subject: Re: [gentoo-dev] Re: mmxext flag
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 11:11:32
Message-Id: 20050322111131.GA1180@phaenix.haell.com
In Reply to: [gentoo-dev] Re: mmxext flag by Ryan Hill
1 At 2005-03-21T21:19:21+0000, Ryan Hill <deemkay@×××××.com> wrote:
2 > Drake Wyrm <wyrm <at> haell.com> writes:
3 > > At 2005-03-21T09:19:53+0100, David Holm <dholm <at> gentoo.org>
4 > > wrote:
5 > > > Isn't mmxext the same as mmx2 btw?
6 > >
7 > > Basically, yeah. "MMX2" is the trade name for the "mmxext"
8 > > instruction set. Or "mmxext" is the flag that indicates the presence
9 > > of the "MMX2" instruction set. However you want to look at it.
10 > >
11 > > Either way, if you want an authoritative source as to which to use,
12 > > I'd suggest /proc/cpuinfo.
13 > >
14 >
15 > MMX2 is supported by Pentium 3 Katmai and Coppermine processors.
16 > MMXEXT is supported by Athlon processors. As far as I can tell
17 > they're two very different things. I'm confused.
18
19 You, and a lot of other people.
20
21 Also, I should correct my earlier statement. "MMX2" is _a_ marketing
22 name for the "Extensions to the MMX Instruction Set", which were
23 apparently introduced in the AMD-K6-2E+ and AMD-K6-IIIE+. You're right,
24 though; the Athlon was the first mainline processor with mmx(2|ext).
25 These extensions were subsequently adopted by Intel into the Pentium II
26 much in the same way AMD adopted Intel's original MultiMedia eXtensions.
27
28 In my further research on the subject, it looks like Intel has been of
29 late bragging up it's whiz-bang new "Intel Wireless MMX2 Technology".
30 It's apparently an instruction set extension targeted at all-in-one
31 cell-phone-camera-music-player-PDA gadgets. As far as I can tell, it's
32 the only time Intel has used the term "MMX2".
33
34 Therefore, I recommend the use of "mmxext" to refer to the original
35 multimedia extensions extensions, to avoid aggravating an
36 already-confusing situation.
37
38 --
39 Batou: Hey, Major... You ever hear of "human rights"?
40 Kusanagi: I understand the concept, but I've never seen it in action.
41 --Ghost in the Shell

Replies

Subject Author
[gentoo-dev] Re: mmxext flag Ryan Hill <deemkay@×××××.com>