May too many register variables hurt? (was Re: Novice question.)

[Henry Spencer]

In article <967 at mwtech.UUCP> martin at mwtech.UUCP (Martin Weitzel) writes:
>So we can assume that register variables are mostly for software which
>may eventually be ported to some unknown ancient compiler that produces
>code for some unknown ancient hardware with very few registers...

Unfortunately, such compilers are by no means unknown, and the hardware in
question often has a useful number of registers.  For example, if you want
a modern compiler from Sun, you have to pay extra, so most people have
their old one, in which register variables most assuredly are important.
-- 
"I don't *want* to be normal!"         | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
"Not to worry."                        |  henry at zoo.toronto.edu   utzoo!henry