Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!uudell!mustang!jrh
From: jrh@mustang.dell.com (James R. Howard)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386
Subject: Re: Why do you need a 387 to run X11R3?
Keywords: X, 80387
Message-ID: <2985@uudell.dell.com>
Date: 14 Mar 90 22:52:30 GMT
References: <207@samna.UUCP> <9868@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> <20203@nuchat.UUCP>
Sender: news@uudell.dell.com
Reply-To: jrh@mustang.dell.com (James R. Howard)
Organization: Dell Computer Corp.
Lines: 25

In article <207@samna.UUCP>, jeff@samna.UUCP (jeff) writes:
 
> This is all very interesting but can anyone answer the question?
> 
> I.e. Does having an FP chip speed up X substantially (exclusive of
> arc-drawing), and, if so, why?
> 
> Jeff

If you have a mathco installed, certain routines will run faster.  Some
apps which demontstate this include xcalendar and xrn.  Both make 
extensive use of the Athena BOX widget, which was modified recently
to fix a very minor bug.  The problem is, the fix involved the addition
of a great deal of FP.  Installing a 387 on the machine will effectively
double or triple display speed on xrn and xcalendar.  There are other
programs which have the same problem, but those two make the difference
VERY clear.

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James Howard
..uunet!dell!mustang!jrh   or    jrh@mustang.dell.com

The opinions stated are my own, and do not necessarily 
reflect the opinions of my employer, or anyone else.
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