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Shareware Extravaganza - Disc 4
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Shareware Extravaganza - Over 25,000 Programs (The Ultimate Shareware Company)(Disc 4 of 4)(1993).iso
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1991-03-03
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╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
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║ TECH NOTES PART 2: INTEL MATH COPROCESSOR AND APPLICATIONS ║
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╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
THE INTEL MATH COPROCESSOR AND YOUR APPLICATIONS
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The Intel Math CoProcessor can speed up all kinds of business
application software -- probably a program you're using now. The
examples below give you a good idea of how the Intel Math CoProcessor
accelerates a wide variety of application software.
GRAPHICS AND DESKTOP PUBLISHING
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There are two types of graphics software: bit-mapped and vector-
oriented. Bit-mapped graphics use patterns of dots to make up lines,
letters, boxes, and other shapes and does not take advantage of Intel
Math CoProcessors. Z-SOFT's PC Paintbrush is an example of a bit-
mapped graphics package.
Vector-oriented graphics, however, uses formulas to represent what the
user draws or writes and can benefit from the Intel Math CoProcessor.
For example, when the user draws a circle, the software actually calls
up the formula for a circle. When the user saves the circle to disk,
the formula gets stored. And when the user changes the size or
location of the circle, the software simply changes the parameters of
its formula and recalculates. The Intel Math CoProcessor makes these
recalculations considerably faster, speeding up changes and other
redraws.
The benchmarks tests described here demonstrate significant speed
improvement for specific business graphics applications.
CHARTS & DIAGRAMS
Picture Perfect and Diagraph/2000 are menu-driven business graphics
programs from Computer Support Corporation. Picture Perfect is
designed to turn data into presentation-quality charts and graphs.
Diagraph/2000 creates charts, diagrams, maps, symbols, forms, and much
more.
Both programs have been optimized for speed with the Intel Math
CoProcessor. They are vector-oriented and use floating point data and
operations. The math coprocessor helps most on diagrams with bold
lines, shading, and shadowing. The benchmarks show a time savings of
65 to 80 percent for previewing a chart, and 63 to 75 percent for
previewing text when a 287-10 Intel Math CoProcessor was added to a 286
PC.
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FONT GENERATION
Font generation is an excellent example of using math behind the
scenes. Users define the typefaces they want with a font package such
as Bitstream's Fontware or SoftCraft, Inc.'s Spinfont or WYSIfonts!
The software applies a formula to produce the size and typeface
requested. The Bitstream Fontware benchmarks show, on average, a 75
percent time savings with an Intel Math CoProcessor.
POSTSCRIPT EMULATION
Freedom of Press from Custom Applications, Inc., allows you to print
PostScript files on several non-postscript laser and 24-pin dot matrix
printers. The program uses the computer's memory to interpret the
PostScript code and makes a customized bit map for your printer. The
customized bit map is generated using formulas, Intel Math CoProcessors
speed up these formulas considerably.
Benchmarks show that the 287 math coprocessor yielded a 44 percent time
savings for an Epson LQ-850, and a 57 percent time savings for a
Hewlett-Packard LaserJet Series II.
COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN
Computer-aided design (CAD) is a classic graphics application for Intel
Math CoProcessors. Many CAD drawings are created by specifying
coefficients for formulas. Math coprocessors are used to generate and
change drawings and are essential for image rotations and 3D diagrams.
Many CAD packages today would be so slow without a math coprocessor
that they require one. Benchmarks were done with an older version
(2.5) of Autodesk's AutoCAD to show the dramatic performance increases
with Intel Math CoProcessors (newer releases of AutoCAD will not run
without an Intel Math CoProcessor). They show a 50 percent time
savings for hidden line removal and a 77 percent time savings for
drawing regeneration.
SPREADSHEETS AND STATISTICS
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Intel Math CoProcessors speed up many common spreadsheet functions,
though some operations are not accelerated at all. Since basic integer
arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division of whole
numbers) is performed easily by the main CPU, the math coprocessor will
not accelerate those functions. However, floating point operations are
laborious for the CPU and run considerably faster with an Intel Math
CoProcessor.
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Floating point math includes basic arithmetic of numbers with decimals,
trigonometric and exponential functions, and any operations that build
on trigonometry or exponentiation. Many common financial and
statistical functions are based on exponents and work much faster with
an Intel Math CoProcessor.
Consider the net present value formula, the function for the periodic
interest rate, and the formula for standard deviation. Because these
functions contain exponents, they take advantage of the Intel Math
CoProcessor's specialties. The Intel Math CoProcessor can speed up
recalculation time for these and many other common financial and
statistical operations.
SPREADSHEETS
The Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.01 benchmarks show a sample of different
functions. Each function was tested for math coprocessor sensitivity
by filling all of the cells in a large spreadsheet (200K to 400K) with
that formula. While this does not represent a realistic spreadsheet,
it does give a precise indication of the Intel Math CoProcessor's
effect on each function.
The results show a range of time savings from 16 percent for
multiplication and division to 80 percent for periodic interest rate
(@rate). This could add up to a savings of several hours a week for
many spreadsheet users.
STATISTICS
Statistical analysis programs take advantage of Intel Math CoProcessors
primarily when working with several data sets and doing floating point
math. The many statistical formulas which are based on exponents run
much faster with an Intel Math CoProcessor installed.
The benchmarks show statistical operations with STSC, Inc.'s
STATGRAPHICS, a fully integrated statistical graphics system for PCs.
The time savings with the Intel Math CoProcessor range from 8 percent
for forecasting to 50 percent for correlation analysis.
DATABASES
─────────
Most database applications, including Ashton-Tate's dBASE IV, Fox
Software's FoxBASE +, Borland's Paradox, and Nantucket's Clipper, make
use of Intel's Math CoProcessors for math calculations included in the
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database program. The dBASE IV benchmarks show a 65 percent savings
for doing square root and logarithmic calculations. This translates
into similar time savings for any function that uses exponents or
logarithms (net present value, standard deviation, variance, square
root).
WE MEAN BUSINESS
────────────────
So you see, math coprocessors are good for more than just speeding up
engineering and math software. They'll speed up your spreadsheets,
graphics and font packages, chart programs, CAD software, and over
other business programs.
Installation is easy; just plug it in and go. You don't have to about
compatibility, because virtually every IBM PC and compatible on the
market provides a socket for an Intel Math CoProcessor. And you don't
have to worry about reliability, because we back every Intel Math
CoProcessor with an industry-leading 5 year warranty.
Visit your PC dealer today, or call us toll-free at 800-538-3373. You
may have an application (or two or three) that an Intel Math
CoProcessor could really send screaming.
■ International support: (503) 629-7354
■ Intel Bulletin Board Service: (503) 645-6275
■ Fax support: (800) 458-6231
■ FaxBack Information Service: (503) 629-7576
■ Intel CompuServe Forum: "Go Intel"
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