At 06:34 PM 8/30/2001 -0700, Hong Zhang wrote:
>With optimized C compiler, we can achieve similar performace
>with obviously more code. Let's say C is only 80% of Fortran on math, I
>still don't see the reason to put math into C language for the last 20% of
>speed. It may be my personal preference. I am not going to argue on this
>any more.
Well, in this case I think you underestimate the speed benefit of Fortran.
More importantly, you underestimate the ease of writing the code, which is
more important.
You can do everything that perl does in assembly. The reason it's far
easier (and to some extent, possible in the first place for most
programmers) is because you're starting from a higher point--the language
gives you a significant conceptual boost up. Most of the interesting new
features being bandied about are of this sort, giving the programmer a
boost. They don't have to hand-roll some high-level fundamental constructs
(if they even can, as many people don't have the time, talent, and or/
background to do that. How many people are really up to building closures
properly themselves? Or even something as reasonably straightforward as
math with complex numbers?) so it's possible they can start a program and
be half-done already because the groundwork'd been provided.
Dan
--------------------------------------"it's like this"-------------------
Dan Sugalski even samurai
[EMAIL PROTECTED] have teddy bears and even
teddy bears get drunk
