[Python-Dev] Unicode charmap decoders slow

[Tony Nelson]

I have put up a new, packaged version of my fast charmap module at
<http://georgeanelson.com/fastcharmap> .  Hopefully it is packaged properly
and works properly (it works on my FC3 Python 2.3.4 system).  This version
is over 5 times faster than the base codec according to Hye-Shik Chang's
benchmark (mostly from compiling it with -O3).

I bring it up here mostly because I mention in its docs that improved
faster charmap codecs are coming from the Python developers.  Is it OK to
say that, and have I said it right?  I'll take that out if you folks want.

I understand that my module is not favored by Martin v. Löwis, and I don't
advocate it becoming part of Python.  My web page and docs say that it may
be useful until Python has the faster codecs.  It allows changing the
mappings because that is part of the current semantics -- a new version of
Python can certainly change those semantics.

I want to thank you all for so quickly going to work on the problem of
making charmap codecs faster.  It's to the benefit of Python users
everywhere to have faster charmap codecs in Python.  Your quickness
impressed me.

BTW, Martin, if you care to, would you explain to me how a Trie would be
used for charmap encoding?  I know a couple of approaches, but I don't know
how to do it fast.  (I've never actually had the occasion to use a Trie.)
____________________________________________________________________
TonyN.:'                       <mailto:tonynelson at georgeanelson.com>
      '                              <http://www.georgeanelson.com/>