[Info-vax] System Programming versus Application Programming

[JF Mezei]

On 14-02-08 13:21, David Froble wrote:
> Properly chastised.  Thanks Steve and John for furthering my education


To take this is a different direction.

I realise that Poulson is fairly different from Tukwilla.

But when Intel comes out with a new 8086, does it require the same type
of OS tuning as did the transition from Tukwila to Poulson ?

Or is upward compatibility too important in the x86 market and new chips
will run "off the shelf" opetating systems without any tailoring being
required ?

(I assume that some optional tailoring may be added later on to take
advantage of new instructions etc).

We rarely hear about the need to upgrade an OS to run on a now 8086.
Just wondering if this is because it is done behind the scenes and makes
no noise, or whether it is because new 8086s do not need the same type
of tailoring as Tukwila to Poulson did.