New ARM Processor For Handhelds?

[PJE]

Hi,

I don't see why with the right compiler technology why Microsoft can't allow the source to be compiled for both ARMv4 and ARMv5. This code is only seen by the manufuacture/platform builder and is not influenced by the user. I would assume that only a small part of the OS is ARMv4/5 sensitive (using the 80:20 rule). I doubt very much of the OS is hand coded assembly.

When you get the upgrade, you need it to be machine specific anyway...

My 2c,

PJE

[PJE]

Hi,

I don't see why with the right compiler technology why Microsoft can't allow the source to be compiled for both ARMv4 and ARMv5. This code is only seen by the manufuacture/platform builder and is not influenced by the user. I would assume that only a small part of the OS is ARMv4/5 sensitive (using the 80:20 rule). I doubt very much of the OS is hand coded assembly.

When you get the upgrade, you need it to be machine specific anyway...

My 2c,

PJE

[Ed Hansberry]

Originally Posted by PJE

Hi,

I don't see why with the right compiler technology why Microsoft can't allow the source to be compiled for both ARMv4 and ARMv5. This code is only seen by the manufuacture/platform builder and is not influenced by the user. I would assume that only a small part of the OS is ARMv4/5 sensitive (using the 80:20 rule). I doubt very much of the OS is hand coded assembly.

When you get the upgrade, you need it to be machine specific anyway...

That is for drivers and OEM specific software, which just plugs in. It was a nightmare for MS to do MIPS, SHx and ARM code with Pocket PC 2000 which is why they finally picked one code base and stuck with it. I'm not understanding why people think it is just a button push to recompile optimized for ARMv5 or how it is any different then just recompiling for a non-ARM processor. We aren't talking about an application. We are talking about an OS. It has to interface with the OAL, handle memory addressing, etc.

MS had to do the same thing with Windows 2000. Forget PPC, MIPS and Alpha. Just stick with x86. They have sort of branched again with Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP by doing 32bit and 64bit versions, and it is like maintaining two separate OSs in many respects, but the Windows team is far larger than the Mobile Device team.

I think most of the X-Scale problems we have seen are Intels fault as the PXA-255 seems to have corrected many of the performance issues. That doesn't mean MS doesn't have room for improvement or they may not tweak WMP for ARMv5. When you think about it, that is the one app (app, not OS) that could benefit. Other apps like Reader, IM, Inbox, etc. Just how fast can you read? :wink:

[PJE]

Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry

I think most of the X-Scale problems we have seen are Intels fault as the PXA-255 seems to have corrected many of the performance issues. That doesn't mean MS doesn't have room for improvement or they may not tweak WMP for ARMv5. When you think about it, that is the one app (app, not OS) that could benefit. Other apps like Reader, IM, Inbox, etc. Just how fast can you read? :wink:

I totally agree. When I was stating the OS, I should have said applications. There are certain applications (WMP as you state, IE, etc) where getting maximum performance is important. There is probably very little in the core OS where full ARMv5 optimization will have much impact.

The problem comes in that I don't use many of the core applications - I use ftxPBrowser which relies on the IE core, but I also use Pocket Informant, TextMaker, PocketMVP, RescoExplorer etc... which MAY require XScale optimization to extract the maximum performance.

Requiring each applicaton to be relased in more than one version is not realistic however, and therefore the core CPU needs to be designed to be as fast when operating in ARMv4 mode as possible, which is where the initial PXA250 fell down.

Hopefully with the next release of PocketPCs we'll see the effect of the fast memory bus become apparant. But until there is another jump in the hardware capabilities (VGA display resolution?) I'll be sticking with my Axim.

PJE