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From: jvl@ocsystems.com (Joel VanLaven)
Subject: Re: floating point problem
Date: 1997/03/12
Message-ID: <1997Mar12.204120.18686@ocsystems.com>#1/1
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References: <5f0faa$6ok@mtinsc04.worldnet.att.net>
 <331ace4d.1427558395@news.mwci.net> <dewar.857535729@merv>
 <1997Mar5.083938.1@eisner> <dewar.857586895@merv> <1997Mar6.080211.1@eisner>
 <dewar.857911706@merv> <5fvqkr$7n7@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU> <dewar.857974200@merv>
 <1997Mar10.074953.1@eisner> <dewar.858142750@merv>
Organization: OC Systems, Inc.
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Date: 1997-03-12T00:00:00+00:00
List-Id: <comp.lang.ada>


Robert Dewar (dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu) wrote:
: Larry asks

: <<So can anyone give an example for the Intel-challenged regarding how
: one would easily detect this float-challenged hardware at runtime in
: order to issue a nastygram ?>>

: The proper code is a little delicate, but is documented in the relevant
: Intel microprocessor manuals. Note that all DX chips, and of course all
: Pentiums have built-in floating-point, so this is really only a concern
: with ancient machines that you cannot purchase any longer.

Ouch.  Actually all intel 486DX chips have a math co-processor however
386DX chips and 486SX chips do not.  I wouldn't call computers a few
years old ancient just yet. A 286 you might be justified calling ancient
but even that seems to be stretching it. Also, corret me if I am wrong
but isn't floating point support provided by software emulation on such
machines?  It may be that your problem isn't.  I'd go find a machine that
doesn't have floating point to try your program on just to be sure that
there is a problem at all.
-- 
-- Joel VanLaven