AVR-GCC for Linux doesn't handle well 16 bit words

[6v6gt]

@DrDiettrich

I'd expect that a RTOS does not allow tasks to block interrupts. Instead the macros for critical sections or atomic reads should be used

This was intended as a test only but I did also consider the very remote possibility that it could somehow inhibit the return of a result, hence my caution. cli() / sei() anyway in a tight loop may not be such a good idea.

Incidentally, I did notice afterwards that there is an even better example to show that the while() loop got even further. From post #1:

@fjrg76

Before: 30680
Next: 32680
After: 30722

Here it appeared to run for 42 ticks (I believe milliseconds). I wonder if some actually worked if he specified a small enough delay interval.