I wonder if they could run the optimizer without the
translation layer (or make a ChipX-to-ChipX dummy translation), and
squeak some extra performance out of code on any platform?
This is actually done by the Dynamo
Projekt by HP. From their page:
The motivation for this project came from our observation that
software and hardware technologies appear to be headed in conflicting
directions, making traditional performance delivery mechanisms less
effective. As a direct consequence of this, we anticipated that
dynamic code modification might play an increasingly important role in
future computer systems. Consider the following trends in software
technology for example. The use of object-oriented languages and
techniques in modern software development has resulted in a greater
degree of delayed binding, limiting the program scope available to a
static compiler, which in turn limits the effectiveness of static
compiler optimization. Shrink-wrapped software is shipped as a
collection of DLLs (dynamically linked libraries) rather than a single
monolithic executable, making whole-program optimization at static
compile-time virtually impossible. Even in cases where powerful
static compiler optimizations can be applied, the computer system
vendors have to depend on the ISV (independent software vendor) to
enable these optimizations. But most ISVs are reluctant to do this
for a variety of reasons. Advanced compiler optimizations generally
slow down compile-times significantly, thus lengthening the software
development cycle. Furthermore, a highly optimized binary cannot be
debugged using standard debugging tools, making it difficult to fix
any bugs that might be reported in the field. The reluctance by ISVs
to enable advanced machine specific optimizations puts computer system
vendors in a difficult position, because they do not control the keys
to unlock the performance potential of their own systems!
Ok, parents should to a better job. But this won't happen because
having money for a big SUV, big TV, big computer is more prestigious.
When was the last time you were praised for being a great parent
opposed to be complimented for your car? Therefore parents will buy
their kids a game console and put them in front of it - it's so much
easier.
Slashdot reads like CmdrTaco has been replaced by a very small shell
script. Every other article is "interesting", if a hard disk is
mentioned he will tell us "personally" how he would use it for MP3s,
and any display technology will be used to play games. Not to mention
the same spelling errors over and over again. Has Slashdot become a
Turing test or what?
> What's the deal with every software project having to come up with a
> code name for each release. RedHat 7.1 = Seawolf? Slash 2.0 =
> Bender? Sagan, BHA? I mean, what's wrong with calling it Slash
> 2.0 from the start?
It's just honest. Version numbers imply than things are ordered and
that the 2.0 version is somewhat greater than versions with smaller
numbers. You can't draw connections between two names and this is the
true relation between most two releases.
Sure, it's nice to have all course notes online and see flashy videos
that explain what otherwise would have been explained using a sketch
on the black board. The problem is, that providing content in all the
new media takes an enormous effort but it is unclear whether it pays
off. It might be better to put the energy into better homework
assignments and more personal time. One solution would be to share
media-rich documents for re-use; but this is the last thing I see
happening at universities because of the "not invented here" syndrome.
Plumbing is a new mechanism for inter-process communication in Plan 9, specifically the passing of
messages between interactive programs as part of the user interface. Although plumbing shares some
properties with familiar notions such as cut and paste, it offers a more general data exchange
mechanism without imposing a particular user interface.
The core of the plumbing system is a program called the plumber, which handles all messages and
dispatches and reformats them according to configuration rules written in a special-purpose language.
This approach allows the contents and context of a piece of data to define how it is handled. Unlike with
drag and drop or cut and paste, the user doesn't need to deliver the data; the contents of a plumbing
message, as interpreted by the plumbing rules, determine its destination.
The plumber has an unusual architecture: it is a language-driven file server. This design has distinct
advantages. It makes plumbing easy to add to an existing, Unix-like command environment; it
guarantees uniform handling of inter-application messages; it off-loads from those applications most of
the work of extracting and dispatching messages; and it works transparently across a network.
Just wondering: why are TLDs limited? Why can't I buy a TLD like I can buy any other domain? Having your own TLD would no longer force you to buy domain names under TLDs in order to prevent abuse of your name and the like. Sure, giving away a new TLD from time to time is a nice revenue source.
I honestly don't know why the functional languages don't succeed. For
instance ML, which is arguably the best combination, perhaps the one
that ought to succeed: [..] I will oversimplify a lot, and probably
offend my friends, by saying that the only thing people do with ML is
to make ML compilers.
A nice example of what functional languages can be used
for--besides compiler construction is--the current Internatiobal Contest for
Functional Programming. The task was to build a ray tracer within
72 hours. The entry of the Objective Caml team is especially
impressive.
Slashdot Mirror
Ok, parents should to a better job. But this won't happen because having money for a big SUV, big TV, big computer is more prestigious. When was the last time you were praised for being a great parent opposed to be complimented for your car? Therefore parents will buy their kids a game console and put them in front of it - it's so much easier.
Slashdot reads like CmdrTaco has been replaced by a very small shell script. Every other article is "interesting", if a hard disk is mentioned he will tell us "personally" how he would use it for MP3s, and any display technology will be used to play games. Not to mention the same spelling errors over and over again. Has Slashdot become a Turing test or what?
> What's the deal with every software project having to come up with a
> code name for each release. RedHat 7.1 = Seawolf? Slash 2.0 =
> Bender? Sagan, BHA? I mean, what's wrong with calling it Slash
> 2.0 from the start?
It's just honest. Version numbers imply than things are ordered and
that the 2.0 version is somewhat greater than versions with smaller
numbers. You can't draw connections between two names and this is the
true relation between most two releases.
Sure, it's nice to have all course notes online and see flashy videos
that explain what otherwise would have been explained using a sketch
on the black board. The problem is, that providing content in all the
new media takes an enormous effort but it is unclear whether it pays
off. It might be better to put the energy into better homework
assignments and more personal time. One solution would be to share
media-rich documents for re-use; but this is the last thing I see
happening at universities because of the "not invented here" syndrome.
For SUN? They claim they are the DOT.
Just wondering: why are TLDs limited? Why can't I buy a TLD like I can buy any other domain? Having your own TLD would no longer force you to buy domain names under TLDs in order to prevent abuse of your name and the like. Sure, giving away a new TLD from time to time is a nice revenue source.
A nice example of what functional languages can be used for--besides compiler construction is--the current Internatiobal Contest for Functional Programming. The task was to build a ray tracer within 72 hours. The entry of the Objective Caml team is especially impressive.
European goverments are as socialistic as the earth is flat. Having stricter regulation for some aspects doesn't mean you are socialistic.
Although I have to say it's wierd seeing banner ads in german ;)
Sound like /. openness is limited to GPL and such. Open your mind and your [beep] will follow.