How to run record instruction-history and function-call-history in GDB?

Question

(EDIT: per the first answer below the current \"trick\" seems to be using an Atom processor. But I hope some gdb guru can answer if this is a fundamental limitation, or whet

Answer 1

At least a partial answer (for the "am I doing it wrong" aspect) - from gdb-7.6.50.20140108/gdb/NEWS

* A new record target "record-btrace" has been added.  The new target
  uses hardware support to record the control-flow of a process.  It
  does not support replaying the execution, but it implements the
  below new commands for investigating the recorded execution log.
  This new recording method can be enabled using:

record btrace

  The "record-btrace" target is only available on Intel Atom processors
  and requires a Linux kernel 2.6.32 or later.

* Two new commands have been added for record/replay to give information
  about the recorded execution without having to replay the execution.
  The commands are only supported by "record btrace".

record instruction-history      prints the execution history at
                                instruction granularity

record function-call-history    prints the execution history at
                                function granularity

It's not often that I envy the owner of an Atom processor ;-)

I'll edit the question to refocus upon the question of workarounds or plans for future support.