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From: smize@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM (Samuel Mize)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Subject: Re: "Subtract C, add Ada"
Date: 24 Jan 1995 08:11:11 -0600
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 <3fnf28$s3f@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM> <3frqpg$re5@cronkite.seas.gwu.edu>
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Date: 1995-01-24T08:11:11-06:00
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In article <3frqpg$re5@cronkite.seas.gwu.edu>,
David O'Brien <dobrien@seas.gwu.edu> wrote:
...
>C was designed in the 70's. ...
>So, I think that "compilers *couldn't* optimize code" may be an over
>generalization.

My apologies for a loose statement.

I meant to address the observed beliefs of people who feel
that they can write more-efficient code in C.  Generally,
they hand-write code-level optimizations; they can see it,
so they believe in it.  They don't expect the compiler to
optimize much.  Some of them don't *want* the compiler to
optimize; they're using side effects and "slick tricks" to
save three instructions per hundred.  Of course, a good
optimizer would do far better for them, but they can't see that
unless they meter their program, optimize it, and meter it
again.  Why bother with what when they *know* that it's more
efficient code...

Of course, the source code doesn't run.  The object code runs.

...
>You are making a *major* assumption ...
>Again, you really are thinking with ...

Your entire post is right, except for attributing these beliefs
to *me*.  I was unclear.  These are beliefs that C programmers
have stated to me, as to why C is "more efficient" than Ada.
Of course, if a programmer is manually optimizing, he/she must
have assumptions about, and a model of, the machine on which
the code will run.  Sometimes, these will be wrong.

Another argument for machine optimization, which Ada better
supports.

>-- David O'Brien	(dobrien@sea.gwu.edu)

Yours in agreement,
Sam Mize - smize@starbase.neosoft.com