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Goto Leads to Faster Code

Posted by Hemos on from the we're-punny-this-morning dept.

pdoubleya writes "There's an article over at the NY Times (registration required) about Kazushige Goto, the author of the Goto Basic Linear Algebra Subroutines (BLAS, see the wiki); his BLAS implementation is used by 4 of the current 11 fastest computers in the world. Goto is known for painstaking effort in hand-optimizing his routines; in one case, "when computer scientists at the University at Buffalo added Goto BLAS to their Pentium-based supercomputer, the calculating power of the system jumped from 1.5 trillion to 2 trillion mathematical operations per second out of a theoretical limit of 3 trillion." To quote Jack Dongarra, from the University of Tennessee, "I tell them that if they want the fastest they should still turn to Mr. Goto."" Ever get the feeling someone wrote an article merely for the pun?

9 of 462 comments (clear)

  1. His code is more stable than Mr. Bluescreen's by virtigex · · Score: 5, Funny

    Although he also writes fast code, Mr. Bluescreen was criticised for the poor stability of his code.

  2. I failed a coding test because of this guy by alta · · Score: 5, Funny

    It was CIS 150, C++ was the language of the day (pascal before, java after.) I was taking an exam that was all coding. I remember extensive use of GOTO from my commodore days, so I used one in a test (the objective was to code something with as few lines as possible)

    I had the shortest working code in the class but the arse hole teacher failed me for it. Said something like "we don't teach goto for a reason. Yeah, it's in the book, but don't ever use it!"

    Jerk. I should post his phone number on slashdot ;)

    --
    Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
  3. This was a test, aimed at slashdot readers... by Derang() · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...To see who actually reads the article.

    Judging from the replies...not many people ;)

  4. That would mean... by LoyalOpposition · · Score: 5, Funny

    Goto Considered Helpful?

    -Loyal

    --
    I aim to misbehave.
  5. Re:goto is obsolete by fdrake76 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Weren't FUNCTIONS invented for the purpose of finally getting rid of goto and labels?

    I believe you are referring to Kazushige's cousin, Mr. Gosub.

  6. Another punny name by Riktov · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the article:
    "Robert A. van de Geijin, a computer scientist who works with Mr. Goto at the Texas Center,..."

    All right, a Japanese programmer named Goto, working with a non-Japanese guy name Geijin. That's too much.

  7. Re:No you idiots - it's not about GOTO statements by limabone · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh, Goat-toe hell you spoilsport!

  8. Re:If true... by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 5, Funny

    My favorite ever comment was, "If I ever saw this in the real world, I'd fire you" attached to an "A" test paper with a programming question on it I'd managed to reduce to one line of nearly incomprehensible recursion.

    --
    ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
  9. Re:If true... by scheming+daemons · · Score: 5, Funny
    Of course GOTO is logical in real life. I experience this all the time:

    If wife has headache, GOTO sleep

    If boss is on vacation, GOTO strip bar for long lunch

    If in-laws are coming over, GOTO work and pretend there is a critical problem that requires your presence all night

    If technical conference is in Vegas, GOTO it

    loads of examples.

    If work is boring, GOTO slashdot to kill an hour or two

    --
    "I have as much authority as the pope, I just
    don't have as many people who believe it" - George Carlin