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Linux kernel has official support for over 20 different ISAs. Some of the cores supported are pretty esoteric: BlackFin, SuperH, Etrax. Most of the problems wit
by DominikD 11y ago
Linux kernel has official support for over 20 different ISAs. Some of the cores supported are pretty esoteric: BlackFin, SuperH, Etrax. Most of the problems with optimizing compilers - around UBs and others - come from architecture-specific optimizations. Problem discussed here is not abstract - people writing kernel code encounter these issues from time to time. I did, my friends did, we will be bitten by UBs in the future.
Code my team is working on at the moment was written for a completely different architecture than it is run on right now. Sudden platform shifts happen, like when tsunami affected Renesas' ability to manufacture chips used in automotive. It IS pragmatic to avoid code that can potentially introduce problems in the future. Perhaps not for every piece of software, but low level one? Definitely.