Jonathan Stone said:
> 
> >Our goals for portability are limited due to quality reasons.  I
> >really don't care if an OS runs on a VAX, if I have an Alpha and
> >X86.  Especially I don't care if the alternative is to compromise
> >the behavior of my tool, for a problem that I don't have.
> 
> The ironic thing is that there are some Alphas where FreeBSD's changes
> to the bus_dma API will, in fact, compromise the performance of your
> tool:).  Not much, but a little. Perhaps you dont care about them
> either, though?
> 
It depends on how much of a compromise we are talking about, and also
the tradeoffs.  It is not all or nothing, is it?  FreeBSD is in
no way a no-olds-barred speed-only oriented OS.  However, if there is
a significant speed compromise, it would be unwise without benefit.

I am just not very good about all-black/all-white thinking, because
real world decisions are not like that, are they?

-- 
John                  | Never try to teach a pig to sing,
dyson@freebsd.org     | it just makes you look stupid,
jdyson@nc.com         | and it irritates the pig.