Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Greenwood, IN
Posts: 125

Hi all,

Forgive my ignorance on technical matters like this, but is it true that the Visor's internal structure does not include a math coprocessor? I seem to remember someone saying that this was the case. If so, has anybody ever thought about making a springboard module that is just a math coprocessor, that perhaps could be used to accelerate number-heavy programs like Quicksheet? (Can such a module even be made?)

I mention this because I use Quicksheet to keep a gradebook for my classes, and this late in the semester I have a lot of stuff in each workbook and Quicksheet is almost painfully slow under these conditions. (Quicksheet is a wonderful program, don't get me wrong.) I'd shell out $35-50 for a module like the one I described above if it could speed stuff like this up. (Maybe even stick 2 MB of memory on it, ala the Innogear vibrating alarm module?)

Talk amongst yourselves.

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BertBert
Mark 12:28-31

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by BertBert
...and Quicksheet is almost painfully slow under these conditions.

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The reason Quicksheet is slow probably has more to do with the auto-recalc than anything else. You can turn off auto-recalc in the Worksheet properties... it makes a big difference. Then, you just need to remember to recalc manually!

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Greenwood, IN
Posts: 125

quote:

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Originally posted by MarkEagle

quote:

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Originally posted by BertBert
...and Quicksheet is almost painfully slow under these conditions.

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The reason Quicksheet is slow probably has more to do with the auto-recalc than anything else. You can turn off auto-recalc in the Worksheet properties... it makes a big difference. Then, you just need to remember to recalc manually!

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BertBert
Mark 12:28-31

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

No FPU

quote:

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Originally posted by BertBert
Hi all,

Forgive my ignorance on technical matters like this, but is it true that the Visor's internal structure does not include a math coprocessor? I seem to remember someone saying that this was the case. If so, has anybody ever thought about making a springboard module that is just a math coprocessor, that perhaps could be used to accelerate number-heavy programs like Quicksheet? (Can such a module even be made?)
...

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Lawrence, NY, USA
Posts: 148

Have you considered overclocking QuickSheet?

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Life's just a blast, just it's moving really fast, and you'd <BR>better stay on top or life'll kick you in the ass -Limp Bizkit

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 35

Re: No FPU

quote:

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Originally posted by MPM
The 68020 can hook up to an external FPU, and the 68030/40/60 all have the FPU in them.
[/B]

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Lawrence, NY, USA
Posts: 148

Re: Re: No FPU

quote:

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Originally posted by california boyhead
Actually...
the 68030's FPU was external and not always included... It used the 68882 FPU, derived from the 68020's FPU, the 68881. The 68040 had an FPU in its full form, but Motorola did release some as 68LC040's with out FPU functionality built-in...

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Were you the one who once called the rest of the discussion board nerds?

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Life's just a blast, just it's moving really fast, and you'd <BR>better stay on top or life'll kick you in the ass -Limp Bizkit

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

Re: Re: No FPU

quote:

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Actually...
the 68030's FPU was external and not always included... It used the 68882 FPU, derived from the 68020's FPU, the 68881. The 68040 had an FPU in its full form, but Motorola did release some as 68LC040's with out FPU functionality built-in...

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 11

There are lots of programs that are made for tracking grades. I know of two of them that you can download at least a trial version of the software. I have seen Due Yesterday and Four.Zero, but I am sure that there are lots more out there. I have not used them too much, but I am sure that the refresh rate is much faster than quicksheet. Of course, if you really like quicksheet...

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 35

Re: Re: Re: No FPU

quote:

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Originally posted by parb33
Were you the one who once called the rest of the discussion board nerds? [/B]

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Lawrence, NY, USA
Posts: 148

I agree, the name is a pretty poor effort. Kinda nauseating if you ask me. BTW, what is the difference between geeks and nerds?

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Life's just a blast, just it's moving really fast, and you'd <BR>better stay on top or life'll kick you in the ass -Limp Bizkit

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

Back to the topic at hand . . .

. . . and not that I disapprove of meandering conversations . . . but back to BurtBurt's original question.

There is no reason why someone like TI couldn't release a module with an optimized processor that actually runs the application on the module (which would have to have its own memory), and only use the Visor as a display device. Of course, if you are going to go to all this trouble, you would want more than a mere speadsheet. Maybe something like a Mathmatica-lite or Mathcad SBM. Actually, a Mathcad SBM might be feasible. Given the low volume sales for such a device, I'm afraid to even imagine what the price might be.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Greenwood, IN
Posts: 125

Re: Back to the topic at hand . . .

quote:

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Originally posted by yucca
Of course, if you are going to go to all this trouble, you would want more than a mere speadsheet. Maybe something like a Mathmatica-lite or Mathcad SBM. Actually, a Mathcad SBM might be feasible. Given the low volume sales for such a device, I'm afraid to even imagine what the price might be. [/B]

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Well, I know that there is a WinCE version of Maple 6 out there -- I saw it at a Maple workshop, and when I asked the Maplesoft reps about a PalmOS version, they were pretty sure there was not one but thought it would be a good idea.

As for volume sales, I agree with you -- although Handspring could really change this if they wanted to. A few weeks ago I posted elsewhere that the educational market niche seems to have gone virtually untapped by Handspring and everybody else. Handspring would really do well to target colleges and universities to market both hardware and software. This is what TI did with graphing calculators, and now they practically have the educational market all to themselves. If Handspring marketed the Visor along with modules and software with college students and faculty in mind, it could create whatever volume it needed.

But this is now a meandering conversation, isn't it?

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BertBert
Mark 12:28-31

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: ???, Asia
Posts: 69

To answer your question (difference btwn nerds and geeks), you can't spell Geek without EE ;-) I heard that a lot, since it was one of my majors at Auburn!

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Urbana, IL
Posts: 99

Much of the slowdown lies not in the math but in the time it takes to display the spreadsheet, as heavy drawing code will be a kick in the pants for the Visor