Re: Is There Still a Need for "Turbo" Compilers?

Jon Forrest <jlforrest@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
However, these days there aren't any "Turbo" language implementations
that I'm aware of. Is this because modern hardware is so fast that it
isn't worth developing compilers and linkers optimized for speed? By
using proper command line arguments to gcc, can you get quasi-Turbo
performance compared to using arguments that result in
highly-optimized code?

Given the amount of algorithms with non-linear complexity in an
optimizing compiler, I doubt that an optimizing compiler will ever
result in "Turbo" performance.

For a recent compiler that puts emphasis on compilation speed, have a
look at Tiny C: http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/tcc/. It claims to
compile a 2004 Linux kernel in 10 seconds.

On the other hand, have a look at modern GCCs: in spite of all those
fancy optimizations, they keep getting slower and slower.

I agree that fast compilers seem to become a lost art, and I think
that this is unfortunate. Fast turn-around cycles are a major factor
in productivity, and you can still do the final build with an
optimizing compiler (or with optimization enabled).

I guess this is why I am using mostly interpreters these days,
but I digress.

Nils
--
Nils M Holm <nmh@xxxxxxx> -- http://t3x.org/nmh/
.

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