Re: Why do so many companies use Apex?

[Keith Thompson <kst@cts.com>]

"Corey Ashford" <x@y.com> writes:
[...]
> Apex's support for "fast path" recompilation is far more
> extensive.  For example, let's say you change the definition
> of a record in a spec.  In Apex, only those units which
> use the record definition will be recompiled, whereas in most
> other compilers (and I assume including GNAT), the compilation
> system will cause all units that "with" the spec of that package
> containing the record definition to be recompiled because
> more than just comments or white space has changed.

It would be interesting to see a cost-benefit analysis for this kind
of thing -- in particular, whether the time saved by avoiding major
rebuilds outweighs the time spent in bookkeeping.

Note that 100 6-second delays might well be more annoying to the user
than a single 600-second delay.  The former could give a general
impression that the system is slow; the latter is understandable if
it's doing a lot of work, and it gives the user a chance to grab a cup
of coffee.

I really have no idea what the outcome of such a study would be, and
I've never used Apex.  Just randomly firing neurons.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst@cts.com  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
San Diego Supercomputer Center           <*>  <http://www.sdsc.edu/~kst>
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