Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!pacbell.com!pacbell!rtech!ingres!ingres.com!jpk
From: jpk@ingres.com (Jon Krueger)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Compilers and efficiency
Message-ID: <1991May14.002158.27394@ingres.Ingres.COM>
Date: 14 May 91 00:21:58 GMT
References: <12235@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
Lines: 32

hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin):
> Does one have to go to great lengths
> to get a car which has features not in the "general driving base"?

Yes.  "Great lengths" usually means cost.  TVRs are available
for those who are willing to pay.

> Do film companies only make films for the "general public"?

Yes.  Custom emulsions are available for those who are willing
to pay.  The rest of us benefit from commodity hardware.

> Should one even consider that universities only teach courses for the
> "general student"?

Of course.  Universities regularly cancel courses if too few people
sign up.  Courses are not seminars.  Seminars are not tutoring.

> [a] person using the subroutines which would make use of efficient
> obtaining of the distance between 1's in a bit stream [might be
> unaware of it]

Where's your DATA?  Regardless of whether he's aware of it, just how
many microseconds has Joe User saved this year because of efficient bit
distance routines working on his behalf?  Where's your DATA?  Skip
the analogies, they're not compelling and even if they were they're
without substance.  Where's your DATA?

-- Jon
--

Jon Krueger, jpk@ingres.com