CompuServe Messages

" >> Does that sound like it could be anything else BUT a Pentium FDIV >> roundoff error? No, it doesn't. But, maybe you need to dig deeper. Since 3DS doesn't use _any_ double precision math it's highly unlikely that's the problem. Could the Pentium itself use the double precision math internally even though 3ds isn't asking it to? I'm really no authority on this but I believe Gary when he says that 3DS _can't_ have a problem with the Pentium bug." ———— Why do I get myself into these things? Ahh, what the heck, try this on your Pentium: 4195835.0 x 3145727.0 (notice: only one decimal) Works every time <G> if you check the result, you'll find it even more off than your $9.95 calculator from K-mart (it might be off by 0.2), your Pentium will be off by 256!!!! (Just in case: You do the check by multiplying the above result by 3145727) What it all comes down to is this: The Pentium's result is WRONG in the 5th digit. This is even less precision than IEEE SINGLE-PRECISION numbers are supposed to have. <<<Good luck in tracking it down if you decide to.>>> Did it, done that, doing it… <BG> The problem with the Pentium was a few 0's in the wrong spots in its internal division tables (Now fixed in the "new" processors). In fact, the "cutting edge technology" from 1958 it uses is quite a robust algorithm (aka radix 4 (or SRT)). So, M&M is probably right on the button… Jack