atomic accesses

[Robert Dewar]

Segher Boessenkool wrote:
> The Linux kernel, and probably some user-space applications and 
> libraries
> as well, depend on GCC guaranteeing (a variant of) the following:
> 
> 	"any access to a naturally aligned scalar object in memory
> 	that is not a bit-field will be performed by a single machine
> 	instruction whenever possible"
> 
> and it seems the current compiler actually does work like this.

Seems a pity to have the bit-field exception here, why is it there?
> 
> I propose we add this text to the GCC manual (where?), so at least they
> are right if/when they blame us for breaking that promise :-)
> 
> Comments?  Flames?
> 
> 
> Segher