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From: ka@hropus.UUCP (Kenneth Almquist)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re: Re: fast code and no morals
Message-ID: <231@hropus.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Jan-86 02:25:15 EST
Article-I.D.: hropus.231
Posted: Tue Jan 28 02:25:15 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 29-Jan-86 04:23:52 EST
References: <842@megaron.UUCP> <1820@brl-tgr.ARPA> <68@valid.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 25

>>> Here's a version of calloc that breaks every rule of "structured"
>>> programming ever invented -- and runs about twice as fast as a
>>> vanilla version:
>> 
>> So what?  This can be written "structured", and would be more
>> maintainable if it were.  Surely this is not an example of
>> recommended practice?
>
> Sure is recommended if you are optimizing for speed, which is what I assume
> is being done here.  Since calloc is part of the system, and is assumed to
> not have to be changed, maintainability is not the question.  Speed is the
> answer.

"Assumed to not have to be changed!!!???"  I shouldn't even have to
mention the machine dependencies in this code or the coming of "void *";
I can assure you that any code that is used must be maintained.

As for the importance of speed, I have learnt the hard way to
think about what the code is supposed to do before I start hacking
at it.  The System V Release 2 calloc is not only clear and short
(three lines of C code), it is no doubt *faster* than the posted
calloc to boot.
				Kenneth Almquist
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