i1neal@exnet.iastate.edu (Neal Rauhauser -- ELT Computer Applications Group) (01/08/91)
Does windows use a floating point chip if its present? I have no programs that specifically require one, but $300 for a 387sx would be much easier to take than upgrading my sx to a full size machine. I'd like to here from someone who has done a side by side comparison of two identical machines except that one has a 387. I'll post results if they're interesting enough Neal i1neal@exnet.iastate.edu
burgoyne@eng.umd.edu (John R. Burgoyne) (01/08/91)
In article <1991Jan7.164119.10490@news.iastate.edu> i1neal@exnet.iastate.edu (Neal Rauhauser -- ELT Computer Applications Group) writes: > > > Does windows use a floating point chip if its present? I have no >programs that specifically require one, but $300 for a 387sx would >be much easier to take than upgrading my sx to a full size machine. >I'd like to here from someone who has done a side by side comparison >of two identical machines except that one has a 387. I'll post >results if they're interesting enough > > Neal i1neal@exnet.iastate.edu This thread went through the group last fall. The bottom line is that interprocess comm. between the 386 and 387 is not that efficient, but the 386 by itself doesn't do badly for arithmetic. Thus, there is almost no improvement until you do trig or transcendental math. Some functions might execute in say 10 clock cycles with a 387 but 80 with a 386 only. So unless you have a loop of a large number of such equations, I'm not confident you'll notice. BYTE or PC Magazine did this test sometime last year. I'll look for the article date or perhaps someone else already knows. Robert
poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger) (01/09/91)
In article <1991Jan7.164119.10490@news.iastate.edu> i1neal@exnet.iastate.edu (Neal Rauhauser -- ELT Computer Applications Group) writes: > > > Does windows use a floating point chip if its present? I have no >programs that specifically require one, but $300 for a 387sx would >be much easier to take than upgrading my sx to a full size machine. >I'd like to here from someone who has done a side by side comparison >of two identical machines except that one has a 387. I'll post >results if they're interesting enough > If I am not mistaken, Windows uses integers internally, so, no, a floating point chip wouldn't help. Russ Poffenberger DOMAIN: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com Schlumberger Technologies UUCP: {uunet,decwrl,amdahl}!sjsca4!poffen 1601 Technology Drive CIS: 72401,276 San Jose, Ca. 95110 (408)437-5254
uchuck@pelham.med.unc.edu (Charles Bennett) (01/10/91)
This brings up another question. I notice that a program "win87em" is in memory while running Windows 3.0. This is a .DLL in the \SYSTEM subdirectory. My assumption (I know, I know) is that it _could_ be a 80x87 software emulator. I have a real "in-the flesh" 387 coprocessor on board and the "About" box in Excel knows about it. So WHY do I need an emulator, if indeed that is what it is??? Chuck Bennett INTERNET: uchuck@med.unc.edu Medical Sciences Teaching Labs BITNET: uchuck@unc CB# 7520 University of NC PHONE: 919-966-1134(w) Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7520