i386.......why isnt it simple

[the bassinvader]

This is a painfully noob question but i'm gunna ask anyway
and brave the onslaught of sarcastic comments.

On my linux disks i have Suse 10.0(i386) written on the top,
and though i have a basic understanding of the whole x86 chip
structure that intel started i dont understand why different
distros have the destinction of i386, i586 etc. etc.

What does this mean in real terms? What difference does it make
to the OS on the disks?

[devils casper]

check this Link !






casper

[the bassinvader]

Thanks Devils casper....yet again!!

Really very informative and well worth the read but call me an
idiot if you will, but i still dont get it. If i386 can include the whole
chip familly (except the very early ones) why make the destinction
between distro disks. Why do some disks come with i586 or i686 when
all these chip configurations are backwards compatible anyway? Are
the people who make the disks just trying to look clever?

[techieMoe]

Thanks Devils casper....yet again!!

Really very informative and well worth the read but call me an
idiot if you will, but i still dont get it. If i386 can include the whole
chip familly (except the very early ones) why make the destinction
between distro disks.

Some distributions like to pare down the size of their compiled code by removing instructions that only apply for the older (i386/i486/i586) processor lines. They instead compile their code using only i686-compatible instructions and make use of some of the special newer instructions and features that are only available in these newer CPUs. You cannot run an i686-optimized distribution on a Pentium 1 or 2, so it's important to make that distinction clear to the end user.

[techieMoe]

Why do some disks come with i586 or i686 when
all these chip configurations are backwards compatible anyway? Are
the people who make the disks just trying to look clever?

As I mentioned in my last post, although the i686 chips are backwards-compatible, the i386/i486/i586 chips are NOT forwards-compatible. It's a subtle but important difference.

[the bassinvader]

Thanks techieMoe. Its simple really.

But you should've taken the opportunity to call me an idiot!!