Re: Shrinking the C core

[Emanuel Berg <incal@dataswamp.org>]

Alfred M. Szmidt wrote:

> While SBCL will compile everything to whatever the target
> architecture is -- so no bytecode is involved, and that
> (small) indirection is avoided since it all becomes a normal
> function call.

This sounds like a good explanation since it is a general
explanation on the level of different models, not individual
optimizations implemented explicitely for certain algorithms
like we saw with the Elisp vs CL versions of Fibonacci.

Bytecode is slower since more instructions are carried out
compared to no bytecode and only machine instructions to do
the job.

And if the advantage with virtual machines and bytecode is
portability, it brings us back to the initial "SBCL isn't
portable" at the other end of the spectrum.

Is native compilation of Elisp not fully able to bridge
that gap?

PS. I agree native compilation should be encouraged for
    everyone, as it makes the interactive feel of Emacs much
    faster. This includes general use, so it isn't just
    a matter of executing heavy computation if anyone was
    under that impression - but that is faster as well,
    of course.

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal