Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!hellgate.utah.edu!dog.ee.lbl.gov!ucbvax!UTCVM.BITNET!MQUINN From: MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: Re: Choosing a language (ML vs HLL) Message-ID: <9105061749.AA08371@apple.com> Date: 6 May 91 17:37:57 GMT References: Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Distribution: world Organization: The Internet Lines: 41 On Fri, 3 May 91 16:16:01 GMT Jerry Shekhel said: > >GOOD programmers that use HLLs can write HLL programs that are just as >fast and efficient as GOOD assembler programs. I agree with everything you said in your post, except this one sentence. This is definitely not true. It's impossible to program something like what FTA does in HLL alone. HLLs are not as fast as assembly. That's just the way it is. You can't write a 3200 color paint program in Pascal because you HAVE to use assembly because of it's speed advantage. Try writing an animation program in a HLL, then try it in Assembly and see which is faster. >They choose HLLs over >assembler not because they are too lazy, but because that's what they >prefer, period. The other issue is portability. You're right on the money here (for the most part). You have to admit though, that not all HLL programmers know assembly and many of those people would assembly if they knew it, but for the most part, people would choose a HLL. >In this world of new >hardware coming out every few days and super-optimizing compilers, >the only programmers for whom it's sensible to use assembler are the >ones who work for the hardware manufacturers writing the lowest-level >OS kernel routines. There are still some things that just can't be done in HLLs (such as 3200 colors for example). Super-optimizing compilers are still no where near the max, but they're getting there. For compilers to be as efficient as human assemblers, they're going to have to start getting into AI, which will be awhile, because todays computers are just too slow to handle it now. >+-------------------+----------------------+---------------------------------+ >| ...! [ princeton mit-eddie bu sunne ] !polygen!jerry | >| jerry@polygen.com | >+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ---------------------------------------- BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm <------------send files here pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com