compile but use what you say instead of guessing what your system is.
This is most useful to change the CPU submodel. For example, if
configure guesses your machine as @code{i586-pc-linux-gnu} but you want
-to compile a library optimized for 386es, give
-@samp{--host=i386-pc-linux-gnu} or just @samp{--host=i386-linux} and add
-the appropriate compiler flags (@samp{-mcpu=i386} will do the trick) to
-@var{CFLAGS}. (A library compiled for a Pentium (@code{i586}) will still
-work on a 386, but it may be slower.)
+to compile a library for 386es, give @samp{--host=i386-pc-linux-gnu} or
+just @samp{--host=i386-linux} and add the appropriate compiler flags
+(@samp{-mcpu=i386} will do the trick) to @var{CFLAGS}.
If you give just @samp{--build}, configure will get confused.
@end table
Each case of @samp{i@var{x}86} can be @samp{i386}, @samp{i486},
@samp{i586}, or @samp{i686}. All of those configurations produce a
-library that can run on any of these processors if the compiler is
-configured correctly. The GCC compiler by default generates code
-that's optimized for the machine it's configured for and will use the
-instructions available on that machine. For example if your GCC is
-configured for @samp{i686}, gcc will optimize for @samp{i686} and
-might issue some @samp{i686} specific instructions. To generate code
-for other models you should give GCC the appropriate @samp{-march=}
-and @samp{-mcpu=} compiler switches via @var{CFLAGS}.
+library that can run on this processor and newer processors. The GCC
+compiler by default generates code that's optimized for the machine it's
+configured for and will use the instructions available on that machine.
+For example if your GCC is configured for @samp{i686}, gcc will optimize
+for @samp{i686} and might issue some @samp{i686} specific instructions.
+To generate code for other models, you have to configure for that model
+and give GCC the appropriate @samp{-march=} and @samp{-mcpu=} compiler
+switches via @var{CFLAGS}.
@node Linux
@appendixsec Specific advice for Linux systems