[Ocaml-biz] safety and robustness benchmarks

[Brandon J. Van Every]

[small apology for responding publically]

Niall Dalton wrote:
> Brandon J. Van Every wrote:
> >
> > performance standard to a new bar.  I don't think C++ guys will ever
> > switch to OCaml if the performance isn't in the same
> > ballpark.  I don't
> > know that marketing can address such an issue... it may be
> > down to what
> > the OCaml implementors choose to work on.
>
> Given their aims, I can't fault the Inria guys for their approach to
> caml performance.
> For many things, it is simply already fast enough. For
> others, dropping into C is ok,

Not that I can change the OCaml implementor's minds, but this is also
the C# strategy.  "If you want it fast, drop into C or C++."  Given the
same strategy, marketing-wise C# wins.  Actually the C# strategy is far
more effective because you can drop into Managed C++, and from there to
Native C++.

> and easy.

I disagree.  I think OCaml has a mediocre C FFI.  I almost bolted to
SML/NJ and Mlton because of it.  No Longer Foreign Function Interface is
a lot more compelling than what OCaml has.

I suppose the strategies and preferences of INRIA should be taken into
account when devising a marketing campaign.  Previously I've been
thinking in terms of where OCaml stands *today*.  But since marketing
takes time, it's more important to consider where OCaml is going to be
*tomorrow*.  I'm not sure performance is going to remain OCaml's
strategic advantage.  As OCaml slacks off, and other languages speed up,
it may remain equal to them, but probably not superior to them.

INRIA is going to continue to be interested in type safety and
robustness for all time, much moreso than any mainstream language.  So a
properly OCaml-centric benchmark would test safety and robustness
somehow.  If it could prove much greater safety and robustness, yet
still equal the performance of other languages, that's a win.

Unfortunately this also sounds like a research-level benchmarking
project.  I suppose one could peruse the comp.benchmarks archives and
ask questions.


Cheers,                     www.indiegamedesign.com
Brandon Van Every           Seattle, WA

"The pioneer is the one with the arrows in his back."
                          - anonymous entrepreneur