Language comparisons

[Doug Bagley]

"Nick Perkins" <nperkins7 at home.com> writes:
> It seems that these tests are a bit unfair.
> The test specifies that each program must work
> 'in the same way'.  The tests are specified as
> algorithms, and tests of specific little operations.

Some are specified that way on purpose, as I explain on this page:

http://www.bagley.org/~doug/shootout/method.shtml#sameway

I feel that it is interesting to compare languages this way, you're
certainly entitled to feel otherwise.  

> A true 'shootout' would specify a 'goal',
> a correct output, and not specify an algorithm.

And I do have some tests written this way too.  If you want to propose
a new test that you feel would be more fair, then by all means please
do so.

> Also, the tested source code is not published.

It certainly is.  Please click on the language name link in the table
on each test index page.  For example:

http://www.bagley.org/~doug/shootout/bench/wordfreq/wordfreq.python

> I bet that if the tested Python code were
> posted on this ng, we could speed it up a bit
> (or a lot)

Please send your contribution!  I'll happily include any
improvements.   Thanks.

Cheers,
Doug