I have mentioned some "CPU specific" instructions in Java in this echo
several times. I just looked it up again, and it seems I didn't supply the
whole story.
According to the article, the extra code is only implemented (and is non-
standard etc.) where the Java remains uncompiled (eg. Internet toys), and in
generic, multi-platform 'executables'. The "Java Interpreters" and "Just-in-
Time Compilers" don't have a hope in the world of supplying the running
program at any respectable speed without small enhancements.
When the Java source is compiled into CPU specific executables, the speed
difference between compiled Java and compiled C isn't much.
-
That said, it seems CISC still has some advantages over RISC when it comes
to Java. eg. CISC's PUSH and POP can be valuable to handle Java's stack
operations more efficiently than RISC.
Another is that CISC (80x86) has 16 general purpose registers, while RISC
generally have 32 or 64. But Java is a stack language, so the extra registers
that RISC boasts are of no great significance with Java.
-
And yes, Dennis, there is a Java CPU.
Regards,
 - Scott
[ admin@cyberia.asstdc.com.au | www.asstdc.com.au/~cyberia ]
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