Re: IPv6: Past mistakes repeated?

[Valdis . Kletnieks]

On Tue, 25 Apr 2000 20:16:28 +0200, Anthony Atkielski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  said:
> But this would be even faster with a variable-length address than with a
> fixed-length address.  You just read address bits until you find a match,
> and ignore the rest.

Umm.. No.

"until you find a match" works totally differently in the silicon world
than for programming.

Today's homework assignment:  Using 7400-series logic chips, design and
implement an 8-bit adder (you may ignore the carry out of the high bit).
For bonus credit - implement an arbitrary-length adder, the number of bits
being specified in-band (do NOT use the signalling bits as input to the adder).

When you understand the difference, enlightenment will soon follow.

(And yes, I thought variable-length was a Cool Idea too, until one of the
Cisco crew made the case for router convenience...)

Somebody with a better memory than I can point at the big-internet archives,
where this was all thrashed out the FIRST time...


-- 
                                Valdis Kletnieks
                                Operating Systems Analyst
                                Virginia Tech