[Tutor] Over optimizing

[Mike Hansen]

My post wasn't directed at anyone. It also wasn't intended to stop the 
discussions on optimizing. There's much to be learned from viewing 
different and better ways of coding. I just wanted to put optimizing in 
the overall picture of programming.

Bill Mill wrote:

>Hello,
>
>as probably the guy you're talking at, I just want to say that I agree
>100%. The topic just kind of came up in one thread, but I introduced
>it into another. I find that sometimes optimization is fun for its own
>sake, and to learn a little bit more about the environment in which
>you're programming or operating.
>
>However, as you say, these are treacherous waters. When I write actual
>programs, I don't even think about optimization until after the
>program's operational, and I can find the bottlenecks in it.
>
>Most likely, the tutor mailing list is not the place for these
>discussions. I will try to refrain from them in the future.
>
>Peace
>Bill Mill
>bill.mill at gmail.com
>
>
>On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 14:35:39 -0400, Kent Johnson
><kent_johnson at skillsoft.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>Yes. As a confirmed optimization junkie, I will second that! CAR Hoare
>>famously said "Premature optimization is the root of all evil."
>>
>>For most of the programs mentioned on this list, optimization is not needed
>>at all. Once the program is working correctly any performance problems can
>>be addressed.
>>
>>If you do need to improve performance, use a profiler to find the hot
>>spots. You will often be surprised at where the time is going!
>>
>>This page http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?RulesOfOptimization has three rules of
>>optimization (and links to other useful info):
>>1. Don't
>>2. Don't yet
>>3. Profile before optimizing.
>>
>>Kent
>>
>>
>>
>>At 11:42 AM 10/18/2004 -0600, Mike Hansen wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>[steps up on soapbox]
>>>
>>>Lately there's been a lot of talk about getting various code snippets to
>>>run faster. It's good to exercise your brain coming up with better ways to
>>>optimize code and get exposed to different methods of writing code. I
>>>would like to offer a little bit of caution for those new to programming.
>>>Many programs run into problems when the the programmer is overly
>>>concerned with optimizing. Sometimes inadvertently sacrificing stability
>>>and readability in the name of optimization. Sometimes the clever
>>>optimization becomes difficult to read and possibly difficult to modify.
>>>In general, you should worry about optimizing code only when it appears to
>>>be running too slow. Don't try to second guess the program's performance.
>>>Machines are pretty fast these days, and are getting faster. In short, get
>>>it working, make sure it's readable, and optimize only if it's performing
>>>too slow.
>>>
>>>Just an opinion based on some books I've read and some experience.
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>>
>>>[steps off soapbox]
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Tutor maillist  -  Tutor at python.org
>>>http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
>>>      
>>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Tutor maillist  -  Tutor at python.org
>>http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
>>
>>    
>>