Re: lcc intel backend? compile time?

(Gavin Thomas Nicol) writes:
> [fast compilation...] makes [lcc] ideal for the development stages where
>fast compile times are more important than good code [...]


rds95@csc.albany.edu (Robert Seals) writes:
> This has been the conventional wisdom for at least as long as I can
> remember (so I'm young). But frankly, I've never had undue difficulty with
> the compile time of small-to-medium programs ...


My experience is that there is a quantum leap in productivity when
compile/link times fall from 5-10 seconds down to < 0.5 seconds. With
extremely fast compile/links programmers are willing to "experiment" more,
try other approaches, try more debugging tests, and fine tune their code.
The result is faster, tighter code with fewer bugs. In short, your
programming thought processes are not 'put on hold' while the compiler
grinds.


Warning: Small sample size!
I witnessed this on 2 different teams, each with 3-6 programmers (number
varied over time). Each team used a different tool(s) to get the fast
compile/link times.


Cliff
--
cliffc@cs.rice.edu -- Massively Scalar Compiler Group, Rice University
--

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