On Sat, Jul 29, 2006 at 07:41:38PM -0400, Tim Starling wrote:
Which brings me to this:
Jay R. Ashworth wrote:
"If a programmer can simulate a construct
more efficiently than the
compiler can implement it, then the compiler writer has blown it
*badly*". --Guy L Steele, in Harbisone & Steele.
It's not so easy to simultaneously optimise compile speed and execution
speed. Improving one often means trading off the other. An intermediate
representation, even one hand-written in the source language, can escape
that tradeoff.
I believe Steele's implication (from the original context, which I
don't think I could find easily) was WRT final execution speeds, rather
than how long they took to compile, Tim. But I see your point, in
further reflection.
Cheers,
-- jra
--
Jay R. Ashworth jra(a)baylink.com
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