Math Coprocessors

[Alan H. Mintz]

In article <1990Nov12.032526.17125 at mccc.uucp>, pjh at mccc.uucp (Pete Holsberg) writes:
> The question came up recently as to whether or not a math coprocessor
> would be a useful addition to a UNIX computer system.  One of us said
> that it would not unless the programs that were being run used floating
> point and/or extended integer arithmetic.  The other said that one will
> find relatively few programs which do not do at least SOME floating
> point or extended integer math, even if it is not explicitly present in
> the program it may be present in a library routine.

The SCO XENIX 386 O/S definitely makes use of the FPU if it is available 
(according to SCO). I'll try and run some benchmarks with/without in a couple
days, but it definitely "feels" faster. 

Most SCO applications will use FPU's also. Some Foxbase+ results:

Task				time/without	time/with

Video Speed			20		20
Tight Loop			52		20
File Creation			26		20
Small Record Processing		77		20
Large Record Processing		64		20
Text Export/Import		20		20
Simple Math			48		20
Complex Math			176		20

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