D vs VM-based platforms

[Sean Kelly]

Benji Smith wrote:
> 
> Lots of great info. Thanks. I didn't know that the x86 had support for 
> profiling, debugging, sandboxing, etc.
> 
> I'd actually argue, though, that these kinds of features are actually VM 
> features, even if they have actually been implemented on silicon.

Since the name "virtual machine" implies the virtualization of a 
machine, it seems reasonable that a good VM would provide all the 
features normally found in a non-virtual (ie. real) machine.  Why should 
these features be offered only in software?  Particularly at a time 
where hardware support for VMs is being explicitly added to hardware to 
improve performance?


Sean