Re: Math chip

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

Ronald Clark <ron@pacifier.com> wrote:

>Is there a Math chip fo the GS?

There is a Math coprocessor card for the GS that is still being
made...called the Number Cruncher...made by someone in
Germany...I don't remember the name or email right now...

>and is it of any use like what program can use it and is it worth it?

The way the GS' OS is built, floating point math normally goes
through System tools called SANE.  Thus, by patching SANE
to use the Math coprocessor instead of the regular code, all
properly written math intensive software should be speeded up.
The speed increase can be dramatic...programs that benefit
include spreadsheets, compilers, math programs, etc.  AWGS
spreadsheet will show a dramatic increase in speed.  Symbolix
(freeware by Eureka software) is so much faster with the math
card than without that it is not funny...

I believe the Number Cruncher can also use a patch to 8-bit
SANE so 8-bit stuff (namely, if I recall, Applesoft and AppleWorks
Classic) will be dramatically speeded up...

Worth it if you are an Applesoftholic, AppleWorks or AWGS
spreadsheet fan, run compilers, or do heavy calculations in
symbolic math...