Re: [Help-smalltalk] faster sets project

[Ralph Boland]

2009/7/14 Paolo Bonzini <address@hidden>:
>> 2)  In GNU Smalltalk Sets already work this way so there is no need
>> for FasterSets.
>
> It's this. :-)
>
> Paolo
>

I downloaded GNU Smalltalk and checked (which I should have done in
the beginning) and determined that in fact  GNU Smalltalk Sets and
subclasses (and also Dictionary and its subclasses) do NOT
avoid element compares during a grow operation!

Thus set and dictionary adds of elements not already in the collection
can be improved to do on average 14% fewer compares.
So can I get a response on which of the remaining scenario's proposed
is  considered the best.

Regards,

Ralph Boland




>> I recently released a project called FasterSets into the Squeak repository 
>> and
>> am trying to get it incorporated into the Squeak (and Pharo) base image.
>> Pharo looks like a go;  Squeak seems to move a little slower.

>> Meanwhile, my long term plan is to get FasterSets incorporated into all 
>> versions
>> of Smaltalk that I can, including of course, GNU Smalltalk; hence this 
>> posting.

>> The Idea behind FasterSets is to not do any element compares during a Set
>> (or any of its subclasses) grow operation; since during a grow operation
>> we know all the elements being added to the set are not already there and
>> so no compares are needed.  In Squeak this modification results in a 
>> reduction
>> in the average number of element compares during an add: operation of
>> around  14% (min 7% max 21%).

Note that in Squeak  Dictionary is a subclass of Set so this improvement
applies to Dictionary and its subclasses as well!

>> I see 4 scenarios:

>> 1)  GNU Smalltalk does not want FasterSets.  FasterSets affects low level
>>      methods in class Set and its subclasses and can break user classes that
>>      are subclasses of Set and which override these same low level methods.
>>      (In Pharo FasterSets was tested against a number of packages including
>>      Seaside without problems.)


>> 2)  In GNU Smalltalk Sets already work this way so there is no need
>> for FasterSets.

HA!

>> 3)  FasterSets is a great idea.  But we want a GNU Smalltalk guru to 
>> implement
>>      this idea from scratch.  It is a simple idea after all.  Thanks
>>      for the idea though.

>> 4)  FasterSets is a great idea.  The originator (me) will create a
>>      project in GNU
>>     Smalltalk containing the code.  Note that the version of FasterSets
>>     to be incorporated into Squeak/Pharo will be under the MIT license but 
>> the
>>     version for GNU Smalltalk will be under the GNU license.
>>     As the creator of the software I can create different licenses
>>     for different versions.  I will need to sign the GNU Smalltalk release 
>> form.
>>     Since I have
>>     never used GNU Smalltalk some help with testing project releases will be
>>     helpful.  Someone else will do the final integration into GNU Smalltalk
>>     once the project is released.
>>     This will be a great way for me to become familiar with GNU Smalltalk.

>> I look forward to feedback.

>> Ralph Boland