Re: "Mini" tags to reduce the number of op codes

Stephen Fuld <sfuld@alumni.cmu.edu.invalid> schrieb:
 [saving opcodes]
 

The idea is to add 32 bits to the processor state, one per register
(though probably not physically part of the register file) as a tag.  If
set, the bit indicates that the corresponding register contains a
floating-point value.  Clear indicates not floating point (integer,
address, etc.).

 I don't think this would save a lot of opcode space, which
is the important thing.
 A typical RISC design has a six-bit major opcode.
Having three registers takes away fifteen bits, leaving
eleven, which is far more than anybody would ever want as
minor opdoce for arithmetic instructions.  Compare with
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEC_Alpha#Instruction_formats
where DEC actually left out three bits because they did not
need them.