fast compilers [Re: Thompson's 2c vs. gcc]

Michael John Haertel writes:
...
      Thompson's claim that 2c typically compiles in 50% of the time gcc takes
      is probably an understatement, in fact. 2c is the most nearly I/O-bound
      compiler I've ever used.


I have not used 2c, but I have used Redelmeier's RCC, which is a very
fast non-optimizing ansi-c compiler. Last time I tested its speed, it
was able to compile [on a 68020 sun] gcc at around 30% of the time it
would take gcc to compile itself without -O.


Is there any interest in very fast compilers that sacrifice some code
compactness and speed [rcc-compiled gcc is ~30% slower than the usual
gcc compiled with gcc -O] for sheer compilation speed? Does the speed
of compilation have any impact on large-scale code development? [I do
think so, but I am biased. ;-)]


oz
[Microsoft makes a fair amount of money selling Quick C, which compiles a
lot faster than regular MS C and produces worse code. Turbo C also leapt
into the market because it compiles so fast, using simple techniques like
buffering include files in RAM. -John]
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