Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!ogicse!plains!bakke
From: bakke@plains.UUCP (Jeffrey P. Bakke)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: AutoCAD system info wanted
Keywords: AutoCAD, digitizer,Zenith
Message-ID: <4548@plains.UUCP>
Date: 7 May 90 03:47:45 GMT
References: <17@oneb.UUCP> <2644a5dd-2b20.1comp.ibmpc-1@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Reply-To: bakke@plains.UUCP (Jeffrey P. Bakke)
Organization: North Dakota State University, Fargo
Lines: 32

In article <2644a5dd-2b20.1comp.ibmpc-1@ddsw1.MCS.COM> andyross@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Andrew Rossmann) writes:
>>Item: 11040 by kmcvay at oneb.UUCP (0 responses)
>>Author: [Ken McVay]
>>  Subj: AutoCAD system info wanted
>>  Date: Sun May 06 1990 01:37 
>>
>>I would like to hear from some folks using AutoCAD in their professions.
>>In particular, I would like to determine exactly how important speed is in
>>the system...i.e. how great a difference is there (in reality) between running
>>A'CAD on a 386SX at 16MHz, a 25MHz 386, and a 25MHz 386 with cached RAM
>>(assuming all have the appropriate co-processor)?
>
>  The speed you want is sort of dependent on the type of drawing you do. At
>work most drawings are relatively simple machine drawings, and working on a
>6Mhz AT is not too bad. For more complicated drawings, we move up to a
>20Mhz 386.  Release 9 and 10 REQUIRE a math coprocessor. Older versions
>didn't need one. There are also versions that use the Weitek coprocessors.
 etc..

Although ACAD v9 and 10 require a math coprocessor, there is a public
domain 8087 Emulator for 80286/386 machines that functions correctly with
autocad.  I have successfully used autocad rel 9 on a ps/2 55sx without a
math coprocessor using this program.  It is available on simtel20.arpa
and many other msdos archive sites.  Name is EM87 I believe.  Note, this
program only emulates the 8087 instruction set and it only works on 
286/386 (I suppose 486 also).  Most fp coprocessor programs won't use
the extended 287/387 instructions anyway, autocad certainly doesn't.  


Jeffrey P. Bakke     | Internet: bakke@plains.NoDak.edu | "Life, don't talk
2550 15th Str S #23B | UUCP    : ...!plains!bakke       |  to me about life..."
Fargo, ND  58105     | BITNET  : bakke@plains           |   - Marvin