DSL Ideas and Suggestions :: Pentium MMX version

Compile-time optimizations are typically over-rated. Pentium-pro and later can actually execute the code they receive in an optimized manner regardless of -mtune or -mcpu options.

However, one exception is the original Pentium MMX processor. It is THE most sensitive processor to compile-time options. Since DSL is likely run on a lot of old PI-MMX laptops, an i586, MMX optimized version would squeeze extra performance out of them.

http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/1999/08/msg01740.html

original here.