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From: tgd@tesla.cs.orst.edu (Tom Dietterich)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
Subject: Why is (read) slow?
Message-ID: <20644@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU>
Date: 29 Sep 90 21:46:26 GMT
Sender: usenet@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU
Organization: Computer Science Department, Oregon State Univ.
Lines: 14
Originator: tgd@tesla.CS.ORST.EDU

Frequently I use large files of S-expressions as a database for moving
information from one lisp program to another.  I find that using
(read) to read these expressions back into lisp is extremely slow.
If, however, I set up the file so that it can be (load)-ed instead, it
comes in much much faster.  Have other people observed this?  Has
anyone got an explanation?



-- 
Thomas G. Dietterich
Department of Computer Science
Dearborn Hall, 303
Oregon State University