[Info-vax] Why it is a good idea that OpenVMS isn't on x86-64 just yet

[Bob Gezelter]

On Friday, January 15, 2016 at 7:16:35 AM UTC-5, Neil Rieck wrote:
> Why it is a good idea that OpenVMS isn't on x86-64 just yet
>  
> Skylake bug causes Intel chips to freeze under 'complex workloads' 
>  
> http://www.extremetech.com/computing/220953-skylake-bug-causes-intel-chips-to-freeze-in-complex-workloads
> 
> Neil Rieck
> Kitchener / Waterloo / Cambridge,
> Ontario, Canada.
> http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/OpenVMS.html

Neil,

Hoff is correct, there will always be problems to some degree. Modern processors are some of the most complex collections of parts assembled by man, corner cases are almost inevitable.

The problems with early Haswell TSX is admitted by Intel. Indeed, some of the TSX features could be profitably exploited by OpenVMS-x86.

Overall, somewhat disquieting, but Intel's response has been far better than the infamous episode involving early Pentiums.

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