Re: Assembler (was RE:beginner)

[dreyhau@banet.net]

Hmm, Does it matter? The instuctions take less than a fraction of a second
to process. hehe :)
----- Original Message -----
From: Neato <nocirckids@nocirc.org>
To: <gameprogrammer@gameprogrammer.com>
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2000 3:55 PM
Subject: Re: Assembler (was RE:beginner)


> I've actually had the opposite experience (speed-wise anyway).  I was
under
> the impression that not only do the instructions on a CISC-based processor
> run faster, but because they are less complex, they can be run even more
> simultaneously than on RISC based processors. It translates to something
> like each instruction on a CISC takes about 1/3 the time than on a RISC.
>
> I was also under the impression that it would be harder to program for
CISC,
> because there's less instructions to do what you want.  One instruction on
a
> RISC (say, a string operation), might take 3 ops on a CISC processor. With
> games, in which the time is spent using very simple instructions (a bunch
of
> mov's to blit to the screen), they would seem to run faster on CISC
> processors.
>
> Anyway, aside from the theoretical aspect, I've noticed first-hand the
> significant difference in speed between the to.  My friend was playing
> tomb-raider on his 180MHz mac at 1024x768.  It was running noticeably
faster
> than quake (a less complex game as i understand it) running at 640x480 on
my
> 233MHz pc.
>
> Some of that might be inaccurate. (minus my personal experience :). please
> correct me if i'm wrong.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marc Hernandez <marc@ias.jb.com>
> To: <gameprogrammer@gameprogrammer.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 1:37 PM
> Subject: Re: Assembler (was RE:beginner)
>
>
> > On Thu, 20 Jan 2000, Neato wrote:
> >
> > > > Assembly is so difficult because the x86 standard uses a CISC, or
> > > >Complex Instruction Set, approach.  Motorola uses a RISC, or Reduced
> > > >Instruction Set, in the processors they make for Apple.  CISC is
harder
> to
> > > >use, but more efficient and thus faster.  This is why an Apple, even
if
> it
> > > >is running at the same clock speed as a PC, is slower than the PC but
> also
> > > >easier to program for in Assembly.
> > >
> > > I think you meant that the other way around.
> >
> > No, that is right.  Each clock cycle on the RISC processor does
> > less than each clock cycle on the CISC machine.
> > However the issue is much bigger than clock cycle.  Number of
> > pipes (for integer and floating point), length of pipelines all play
> > important roles.
> > Although it tends to be easier to program assembly for CISCish
> > machines.  VAX and java byte code assembly are examples of this.
> >
> > --
> > Marc Hernandez
> >
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