Xref: utzoo alt.sources.d:1844 alt.security:2563 comp.lang.perl:5358 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!convex!usenet From: tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen) Newsgroups: alt.sources.d,alt.security,comp.lang.perl Subject: Re: what cops is Message-ID: <1991May17.215742.5546@convex.com> Date: 17 May 91 21:57:42 GMT References: <25576@as0c.sei.cmu.edu> Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account) Reply-To: tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen) Organization: CONVEX Software Development, Richardson, TX Lines: 19 Nntp-Posting-Host: pixel.convex.com Furthermore, you'll find that the perl version runs MUCH FASTER than the shell version. Notice, for example, the speed differences in the is_able module. There are several reasons for this: 1) perl has direct access to system calls so doesn't have to exec so many other programs. 2) a lot more state can be saved for use between different modules (modes on files, passwd information, etc.) 3) Certain algorithms have been rewritten for efficiency, and somewhat for robustness/functionality. Check out chk_strings.pl and is_able.pl to see what I mean. --tom -- Tom Christiansen tchrist@convex.com convex!tchrist "So much mail, so little time."