If NNNNN is the same value (two contiguous Major v3.0B Opcodes) this
saves gates at a critical part of the decode phase.
-## Comparison to VLE
-
-VLE was a means to reduce executable size through three interleaved methods:
-
-* (1) invention of 16 bit encodings (of exactly 16 bit in length)
-* (2) invention of 16+16 bit encodings (a 16 bit instruction format but with
- an *additional* 16 bit immediate "tacked on" to the end, actually
- making a 32-bit instruction format)
-* (3) seamless and transparent embedding and intermingling of the
- above in amongst arbitrary v2.06/7 BE 32 bit instruction sequences,
- with no additional state,
- including when the PC was not aligned on a 4-byte boundary.
-
-Whilst (1) and (3) make perfect sense, (2) makes no sense at all given that, as inspection of "ori" and others show, I-Form 16 bit immediates is the "norm" for v2.06/7 and v3.0B standard instructions. (2) in effect **is** a 32 bit instruction. (2) **is not** a 16 bit instruction.
-
-*Why "reinvent" an encoding that is 32 bit, when there already exists a 32 bit encoding that does the exact same job?*
-
-Consequently, we do **not** envisage a scenario where (2) would ever be implemented, nor in the future would this Compressed Encoding be extended beyond 16 bit. Compressed is Compressed and is **by definition** limited to precisely - and only - 16 bit.
-
-The additional reason why that is the case is because VLE is exceptionally complex to implement. In a single-issue, low clock rate "Embedded" environment for which VLE was originally designed, VLE was perfectly well matched.
-
-However this Compressed Encoding is designed for High performance multi-issue systems *as well* as Embedded scenarios, and consequently, the complexity of "deep packet inspection" down into the depths of a 16 bit sequence in order to ascertain if it might not be 16 bit after all, is wholly unacceptable.
-
-By eliminating such 16+16 (actually, 32bit conflation) tricks outlined in (2), Compressed is *specifically* designed to fit into a very small FSM, suitable for multi-issue, that in no way requires "deep-dive" analysis. Yet, despite it never being designed with 16 bit encodings in mind, is still suitable for retro-fitting onto OpenPOWER.
-
## ABI considerations
Unlike RISC-V RVC, the above "context" encodings require state, to be stored
vrsave, vscr (fixed)
sfp (fixed)
-# Demo of encoding that's backward-compatible with PowerISA v3.1 in both LE and BE mode
+# Appendix
+## Comparison to VLE
+
+VLE was a means to reduce executable size through three interleaved methods:
+
+* (1) invention of 16 bit encodings (of exactly 16 bit in length)
+* (2) invention of 16+16 bit encodings (a 16 bit instruction format but with
+ an *additional* 16 bit immediate "tacked on" to the end, actually
+ making a 32-bit instruction format)
+* (3) seamless and transparent embedding and intermingling of the
+ above in amongst arbitrary v2.06/7 BE 32 bit instruction sequences,
+ with no additional state,
+ including when the PC was not aligned on a 4-byte boundary.
+
+Whilst (1) and (3) make perfect sense, (2) makes no sense at all given that, as inspection of "ori" and others show, I-Form 16 bit immediates is the "norm" for v2.06/7 and v3.0B standard instructions. (2) in effect **is** a 32 bit instruction. (2) **is not** a 16 bit instruction.
+
+*Why "reinvent" an encoding that is 32 bit, when there already exists a 32 bit encoding that does the exact same job?*
+
+Consequently, we do **not** envisage a scenario where (2) would ever be implemented, nor in the future would this Compressed Encoding be extended beyond 16 bit. Compressed is Compressed and is **by definition** limited to precisely - and only - 16 bit.
+
+The additional reason why that is the case is because VLE is exceptionally complex to implement. In a single-issue, low clock rate "Embedded" environment for which VLE was originally designed, VLE was perfectly well matched.
+
+However this Compressed Encoding is designed for High performance multi-issue systems *as well* as Embedded scenarios, and consequently, the complexity of "deep packet inspection" down into the depths of a 16 bit sequence in order to ascertain if it might not be 16 bit after all, is wholly unacceptable.
+
+By eliminating such 16+16 (actually, 32bit conflation) tricks outlined in (2), Compressed is *specifically* designed to fit into a very small FSM, suitable for multi-issue, that in no way requires "deep-dive" analysis. Yet, despite it never being designed with 16 bit encodings in mind, is still suitable for retro-fitting onto OpenPOWER.
+
+## Demo of encoding that's backward-compatible with PowerISA v3.1 in both LE and BE mode
[[demo]]
-# Efficient Decoding Algorithm
+### Efficient Decoding Algorithm
[[decoding]]