Re: [patch-2.4.0-test2]Re: Linux-2.4.0-test2

[Michal Jaegermann]

Alan Cox wrote:
> 
> > Except when you cannot align (like with Tulips that always DMA to a 4 byte
> > aligned address). With the 14 byte Ethernet header this results in IP
> > and TCP misaligned.
> 
> If you combine poorly compatible hardware bad things happen. That isnt going
> to change. Many decent ethernet cards can do sensible alignment. Pick a card
> or cpu that can and life is happy.
> 

Picking a card can be tad difficult in cases when it comes soldered
on a motherboard. :-)  No, I am not making it up.  There are other
possible factors as well.

But what I really wanted to say in my previous posting is that alignment
considerations do matter, even if one consciously decides to put them
aside.  For some which are familiar only with x86 architecture this may
come as a surprise. (For those who failed to notice a disclaimer: it
never crossed my mind to include into this category Alan, or Andi, or
many others :-).

  Michal