bwm@pro-europa.cts.com (Boyd Meier) (07/10/89)
Comment to message from: pnet01!crash!smoke.brl.mil!info-apple-request (Unknown User)
This is a me-too type message. Someone (I can't decipher the address
garbage) wrote wanting info on a Floating Point Engine for the IIgs. ME TOO!
I have been looking for any information on FPU's for the gs cause I do a lot
of number-crunching in my programs for school. Any info would be greatly
appreciated!!!
- Boyd
UUCP: nosc!crash!pnet01!pro-europa!bwm
Internet: bwm@pro-europa.cts.com
BITNET: bwm%pro-europa.cts.com@nosc.mil
PROLINE: bwm@pro-europa
UUCP: crash!pro-europa!bwm$logname
ARPA: crash!pro-europa!bwm$logname@nosc.mil
INET: bwm$logname@pro-europa.cts.comlbotez@pro-sol.cts.com (Lynda Botez) (08/25/89)
Anyone on the net have the math coprocessor called the "FloaPoint Engine"? I'm curious to hear about it; also is it compatible with a TWGS? Though it is another major "big bucks" peripheral ($200+)... it sure sounded interesting to me. Lynda "just call me another techno-junkie"
mikes@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (Michael Steele) (08/28/89)
In article <8908250820.AA01027@trout.nosc.mil> lbotez@pro-sol.cts.com (Lynda Botez) writes: >Anyone on the net have the math coprocessor called the "FloaPoint Engine"? >I'm curious to hear about it; also is it compatible with a TWGS? > >Though it is another major "big bucks" peripheral ($200+)... it sure sounded >interesting to me. Yes a friend of mine has a TWGS and the Math Coprocessor card from MPE? (the company other than AE that offers such a product). When he typed in and ran the Byte Benchmarks he got speeds comparable to a Mac II when doing math intesive calculations. I don't have the exact figures but you could get a 30 times speed improvement on Math intensive stuff when making calls directly to the card(ie bypassing SANE). Very nice if you do a lot of math. Michael Steele mikes@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu -- Michael Steele mikes@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu mikes@ncsuctix.ncsuvx.ncsu.edu netoprms@ncsuvm.bitnet
gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (08/28/89)
In article <8908250820.AA01027@trout.nosc.mil> lbotez@pro-sol.cts.com (Lynda Botez) writes: >Anyone on the net have the math coprocessor called the "FloaPoint Engine"? Yes, I recently obtained one via ByteWorks. >I'm curious to hear about it; also is it compatible with a TWGS? It's 68881-based. It works. For best results, you need a compiler that can generate in-line code for it. I don't know whether or not it would work with a TWGS, but since it's a slot peripheral (not using the COP hook in the 65816), it ought to work with the TWGS. You can put the FPE in any peripheral slot; a corresponding INIT for each one is provided. >Though it is another major "big bucks" peripheral ($200+)... it sure sounded >interesting to me. Well, as usual it depends on your needs. It can be used to speed up any software that uses the SANE toolbox routines. However, SANE is so slow that your applications may be providing their own floating-point emulation, which the FPE will NOT help with. Orca/C supports the FPE quite nicely. Benchmark programs that make heavy use of floating point typically speed up by several orders of magnitude.