> You think that's equivalent to machine word? On 16-bit x86, for example, pointers can be either 16 or 32 bit ;) The 16bit x86 memory model is absolutely atro

> You think that's equivalent to machine word? On 16-bit x86, for example, pointers can be either 16 or 32 bit ;) The 16bit x86 memory model is absolutely atrocious. And IDGAF what you call a "machine word" on x86, it's a 64 bit architecture grafted onto a historically grown 32 bit architecture grafted onto a historically grown 16 bit architecture grafted onto an 8 bit architecture. And when Intel tried to do a clean reboot for the 64-bit part, the market chose the grafted-on abomination instead. Also, you can have 128 bit atomic loads if you use an xmm register. But that's for the compiler to figure out when you declare an std::atomic of a 16-byte large type, not for you to assume on a plain variable, which was my point.