Re: Pipeline flushing in processors

Terje Mathisen  <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>> In fact, when you hit refresh on a browser window, most processors 
>> excecute the special "SiphonicFlush" command 17 times in quick 
>> succession. (17 is required due to DOD regulations about eliminating 
>> any remnants of POPC execution).
>
>Ah! So that's why 17 came up here!
>
>I always believed it was due to 17 being a prime number close to a power 
>of two, which would avoid nearly all instances of standing waves (both 
>longitudinal and SAW) in the flushing residue, while still allowing 
>efficient hw implementation.

Heh.  It's really because you need to clear out the 17-deep
hardware stack in all the little MISC Forth chips which we
snuck into the keyboard.

Blame Chuck Moore.


-george william herbert
[EMAIL PROTECTED]