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  • From: qwms-avib AT dea.spamcon.org
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [BL] pdftotext
  • Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 09:45:37 +0000

keesan2 AT cyberspace.org wrote:
>
> I think BL2 requires a math coprocessor but BL1 does
> not, am I correct?

The kernel (zimage) that comes with BL2 requires a math
coprocessor (which all 486DX and Pentiums have). Systems
without a copro (486SX and 386) should use BL1 instead.
It is possible to run BL2 on a 486SX by substituting a
kernel from Slackware 7.1 -- but this requires more than
8mb RAM.

> Some of them will let you emulate the math coprocessor
> instead, which makes them run slower.

It runs slower for two reasons. First, copro emulation
is *much* less efficient than a hardware copro. Second,
copro emulation is driven by the CPU and thereby reduces
its availability for other processes. So, for processes
involving floating-point maths (eg. scaling fonts in X),
a 486DX can be four times faster than a 486SX (with same
MHz and RAM).

> people who like to use computers with 4M RAM and no coprocessor.

Those people should definitely be using BL1.

Cheers,
Steven





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