[Info-vax] VMS port to x86

[Bob Gezelter]

On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 6:49:21 PM UTC-4, (unknown) wrote:
> In article <GfGdnWMIE92bq_fSnZ2dnUVZ_jadnZ2d at earthlink.com>, "John Reagan" <johnrreagan at earthlink.net> writes:
> >
> >
> >> I wonder if INSQxIs will work on x86! :D ;)
> >
> >I'll have to ask Hoff. :)
> 
> Now it's beginning to all make sense. 
> 
> -- 
> VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker    VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG
> 
> Well I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.

VAXman,

I have not worked out the precise sequences, but IMHO the x86 certainly has the ISP (Instruction Set Processor) functionality to implement the INSQxIs instructions. 

The original VAX implementation in microcode represented a reasonable decision reflecting the state of semiconductor technology ala 1977. The tradeoffs are different now, in favor of software implementations. The proof of this in any Computer Science text on architecture. All that is REQUIRED for multiprocessor synch is in effect a Test-and-Set (or Fetch-and-Add) primitive. Everything else can be constructed using that as a base.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com