[libre-riscv-dev] next tasks

[Lauri Kasanen]

On Thu, 12 Mar 2020 10:40:16 -0700
Jacob Lifshay <programmerjake at gmail.com> wrote:

> If we decide to create our own simulator, it might be a good idea to write
> it in rpython or similar since that has an optimizing JIT trace compiler
> that can effectively speed up any interpreter/simulator. That's what's used
> to implement PyPy -- it's basically just a python interpreter written in
> rpython.
>
> If we decide we don't want rpython, then I would suggest Rust -- I've
> already started writing a cycle-accurate CPU simulator to test out my idea
> for making a spectre-proof cpu (I stopped since it was taking longer than a
> few days):
> https://salsa.debian.org/Kazan-team/spectre-resistant-speculative-processor

Using a standard language would beat slightly improved speed, for the
usual reasons. The hipster languages have trouble running in many
settings, and we need people to be able to modify the simulator (e.g.
me).

If the simulator was written in hipster language of the week, I may
not even be able to get it running, and it would place a significant
obstacle on my modifying it. More than a decade in C/C++ vs learning an
entirely new language with all its quirks.

It would likely present similar barriers to others who need to modify
it.

(why yes, I have bad experiences with python, ruby, rust, go...)

- Lauri