diff -ru linux-2.1.89.orig/Documentation/Configure.help linux/Documentation/Configure.help
--- linux-2.1.89.orig/Documentation/Configure.help	Sat Mar  7 12:58:36 1998
+++ linux/Documentation/Configure.help	Sun Mar  8 11:15:04 1998
@@ -1136,18 +1136,21 @@
 
 Processor family
 CONFIG_M386
-  This is the processor type of your CPU. This information is used for
-  optimizing purposes. In order to compile a kernel that can run on
-  all x86 CPU types (albeit not optimally fast), you can specify
-  "386" here.  If you specify one of "486" or "Pentium" or "PPro",
-  then the kernel will run on all of these CPUs: 486 and Pentium
-  (=586) and Pentium Pro (=686). In rare cases, it can make sense to
-  specify "Pentium" even if running on a 486: the kernel will be
-  smaller but slower. 
+  This information is used for optimization.  Here are the settings
+  recommended for greatest speed:
+  - 3 for the AMD/Cyrix/Intel 386DX/DXL/SL/SLC/SX and Cyrix 486DLC/DLC2
+  - 4 for the AMD/Cyrix/IBM/Intel DX4 or 486DX/DX2/SL/SX/SX2, AMD/Cyrix
+    5x86, Cyrix MediaGX, NexGen Nx586 and UMC U5D or U5S
+  - 5 for the AMD K5, K6 and K6-3D, Cyrix/IBM/National Semiconductor 6x86
+    and GXm, IDT Centaur WinChip C6, and Intel Pentium/Pentium MMX
+  - 6 for the Cyrix/IBM/National Semiconductor 6x86MX and Intel Pentium 
+    II/Pentium Pro
+  A kernel will not necessarily run correctly on CPUs from a lower family
+  than the one for which it is compiled.  Compiling for "3" will work on
+  all the CPUs mentioned, but at a penalty in performance on newer ones.
   If you have a multiple processor machine and want Linux to use all
   the processors in parallel, set the SMP variable in the toplevel
   kernel Makefile.
-  If you don't know what to do, say "386".
 
 Video mode selection support
 CONFIG_VIDEO_SELECT
diff -ru linux-2.1.89.orig/arch/i386/config.in linux/arch/i386/config.in
--- linux-2.1.89.orig/arch/i386/config.in	Mon Feb  2 15:18:15 1998
+++ linux/arch/i386/config.in	Sun Mar  8 11:03:57 1998
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
 mainmenu_option next_comment
 comment 'Processor type and features'
 choice 'Processor family' \
-	"386			CONFIG_M386	\
-	 486/Cx486		CONFIG_M486	\
-	 Pentium/K5/5x86/6x86	CONFIG_M586	\
-	 PPro/K6/6x86MX		CONFIG_M686" Pentium
+	"3	CONFIG_M386	\
+	 4	CONFIG_M486	\
+	 5	CONFIG_M586	\
+	 6/?	CONFIG_M686" 3
 bool 'Math emulation' CONFIG_MATH_EMULATION
 endmenu