CompuServe Messages

#floating point questions

    30-Jun-91 15:53:42
Sb: #floating point questions
Fm: KEIR HALES 76066,3510
To: all
My turbo silver disk has a normal version and an FP version, the latter of which crashes the machine if it can't find a FP. I want to know in general whether calculations are automatically directed to the FP when possible, or does the FP lie dormant in programs that are not written specifically for it? If I pulled out the FP in my A3000, would, say, Perfect sound be able to put an echo on a large sampled sound with the same speed as it does now? For example, does a spreadsheet recalc get sent to the FP at some point? If so, what are the criteria to redirect a task to the FP? Is it possible to direct large calculations to the FP if they are not directed there by default? Could redirecting these calulations be done by a DOS application? Anyone who can shed some light on these questions (and also answer why the sky in blue, since I've asked everything else) would calm the curiosity caused by extreme ignorance. —K.H.–Salt Lake City.—