class formats

[Andreas Raab]

Michael Haupt wrote:
>> That is exactly correct. It's a little implementation trick so that the
>> format doesn't have to be "normalized" for allocation. It originates
>> from the days when even a shift was too slow in allocation; personally I
>> find it a little awkward.
> 
> Would a reimplementation in a different way significantly speed things
> up, or is that just aesthetically unsatisfying? (I suspect shifts are
> faster now.)

You won't know until you measure it ;-) But I wouldn't think there is 
any difference whatsoever; it's really just unpleasing to get one number 
in the image and another one in the VM (because if you do VM stuff then 
then you need to look at these at times).

Cheers,
   - Andreas