Re: [Caml-list] OCaml troll on Slashdot

[padiolea@irisa.fr]

> On Tuesday 15 March 2005 20:17, Yoann Padioleau wrote:
>> I have made the obvious optimization which is to replace the assoc list
>> by
>> a Map (just changing 4 lines in the "troll" code),
>> the ocaml version is then far far faster.
>>
>> But computing 7 by 7 with c++ take 1.5 sec and with
>> ocaml 50.0 sec (but it is better than "more than 16 minutes").
>
> I spent a little time on it but some Anonymous Coward has already done a
> much
> better job and posted the resulting code on Jacques Garrigue's website.
> ;-)

where ?

>
> I also posted the resulting timings on slashdot. IIRC, OCaml was less than
> half as much code and ran in 1.66 times the time (if you unroll the most
> time
> consuming function a little). That's pretty much what I'd expect given
> that
> the problem is too simple and array-based to take much advantage of OCaml
> and
> functional programming.

Yes but this ocaml code use array ?
In that case it supports what the "troll" said, that is
the resulting code is no more "functionnal".
I agree with eijro sumii that ocaml is not just about functionnal
programming but in the mind of many people advocating ocaml is advocating
functionnal programming.

I think the way to answer to those trolls is to teach them the way
to do, in that case to use Map instead of associative list, and
not to be pretentious and to tell that he is just a newbie.
He is not a newbie, this garden optimization problem is not that simple.

Perhaps the python/perl/ruby community are successful because they
answer to those "trolls" who often then become the first
advocater of the langage who in turn answer to other "trolls" which
make the community bigger and bigger.

I am an egoist so I dont really care that this guy use ocaml,
but the more people use ocaml, the more I will have a chance to
get a job where I am paid to code in caml :)


>
> --
> Dr Jon D Harrop, Flying Frog Consultancy Ltd.
> Objective CAML for Scientists
> http://www.ffconsultancy.com/products/ocaml_for_scientists
>
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