For PowerPC configurations (like powerpc-unknown-linux-gnu) which do not support SPE, the SPE-related command-line options (like -misel) are silently ignored. That can result in users thinking that they are getting that functionality when they are not.
David Edelsohn suggests moving those options into SUBTARGET_OPTIONS, so that the options are only available with SPE-supporting configurations. -- Summary: PowerPC back end ignores SPE command-line options Product: gcc Version: 4.0.0 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P2 Component: target AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: mmitchel at gcc dot gnu dot org CC: gcc-bugs at gcc dot gnu dot org GCC target triplet: powerpc-*-* http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=19490