On 02/05/2016 05:25 AM, Stefan Monnier wrote:
> FWIW, I much prefer keeping just the loop, over using this "if+memset"
> which seems like an obvious case or too-early-optimization.
Fair enough, I didn't measure it and you're probably right that it's not 
worth the complexity. I changed it to use just the loop, with the 
attached patch.

This patch's commit message documents what I had *originally* put in 
there in my private copy, something that I fondly hope would have made 
the hair on the back of your neck stand up.