This may be a vague question, but I'll try anyway...

During a Gentoo installation, compile options are set immediately after downloading the Portage tree. CPU architecture, CFLAGS, CXXFLAGS etc. This reportedly makes compiled programs more stable, faster etc. (At least, as long as you know what you're doing.)

My question is: Is this possible in Slackware? At what point is it possible? Would there be any noticeable benefit to doing this? Finally, what's the likelihood of permanently pooching one's system by fiddling with such settings?

Thanks,

Matt
(For how long I've used Linux, I feel like such a newb...)

You'll gain almost nothing in Slackware because even if apps are 486-compatible, they are optimized for 686 too.
If you really want to tweak, then you better take a look at kernel compile and make your own.
If you use some high cpu usage programs like mathematics or video converting then you can optimize especially for you processor.
And if you REALLY want to recompile all Slack as Gentoo do, then you will loose your time.

Forgive me, I don't understand what you mean by this. Surely setting ARCH=i686 is more optimised for i686 than setting ARCH=i486? Have i misunderstood something about the way GCC handles ARCH?

In response to your specific questions:

* Is this possible in Slackware?

Yes.

* At what point is it possible?

It is possible at compile time! Since Slackware packages are binary packages (they dump the precompiled binaries straight into your system) you would have to manually hunt down and compile your own from source. You use disks 3 & 4 for a bit of a short cut in the hunting down of those sources, and these disks also provide the scripts from which the binary packages (on disks 1 and 2) are made.

* Would there be any noticeable benefit to doing this?

Noticable? Maybe. I think in all cases it depends on what the application is. Like the poster above mentions, if you're doing some CPU intensive stuff then you should find transcode (for example) works faster on an i686 with extensions than on a generic i486, simply because of the way GCC interprets this (at least this is my understanding).

* what's the likelihood of permanently pooching one's system by fiddling with such settings?

Slim. At worst you'll set "inefficient" flags - you can't set "wrong" flags, 'cause it probably won't compile if you do! Even if you manage to compile with the wrong flags, it possibly won't run (highly unlikely) thus negating any damaging effects it might have! =)

- Piete.

As a friend likes to say: Every day's a school day!

From your replies it sounds like something I shouldn't bother with. I could use my time much better elsewhere.

Nothing I do is all that intensive...I just like to tweak.

Thanks for the information.

Matt

Hi, if you like to tweak you can have a lot of fun with slackbuilds, check this post:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ht=slackbuilds
Besides tweaking in Slackware is a real pleasure

Because Slackware comes in binary format and could run even in old machines from the start using 80386 code, it's not explicitly optimised for new machines, which use extended 80686/80786 code like Pentium IV. So he does not not use all available extensions which came with new processors. If you want full optimization, recompile packages to suit your own cpu type.