[Haskell-cafe] Small question

[Donald Bruce Stewart]

hughperkins:
>                       You'll find by the way that the imperative
>    GC'd, stack/heap protected languages run *significantly*
>    faster for many (not all I guess?) algorithms and
>    applications.

Wow. Big claims. It must be silly hat day on the Haskell lists.

We're trying hard to be friendly, perhaps you don't realise that your
inflammatory remarks are out of place here?

Now, just looking at just this assertion, for which you provide no
references: let's see, only imperative and GC'd eh?

Ruby?
    http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/gp4/benchmark.php?test=all&lang=ghc&lang2=ruby 
JavaScript?
    http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/gp4/benchmark.php?test=all&lang=ghc&lang2=javascript 
Python?    
    http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/gp4/benchmark.php?test=all&lang=ghc&lang2=python     

Hmm. Not looking so good so for for the imperative, GC'd languages.
  
Java?
    http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/gp4/benchmark.php?test=all&lang=ghc&lang2=java 
C#?
    http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/gp4/benchmark.php?test=all&lang=ghc&lang2=csharp

Doesn't look too good for your assertion :(

Maybe there really isn't something fundamental about being `imperative'
or being garbage collected that matters performance-wise. Rather, having
a good optimising native code compiler is more to the point?


------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, what do we do about this?  

Your unusual advocacy is interesting, but out of place on the Haskell
mailing list.  Given the community is growing rather rapidly, I'd like
to encourage you to contribute more quality material to the list, and to
tone down the sniping.

Recall that your comments go out to around 2000 people directly, and
further via Gmane. So making silly insults simply has the effect of
alienating the people whose help you might seek in the future.

To help more clearly think about the impact of noise on the mailing
list, and how to actively seek to improve (or maintain) quality, I like
to refer to this useful article:

    http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/12/how_to_build_a_.html

Give back to those who give you their time, rather than insulting them
with silly statements. If we can make this step, there may well be
unexpected benefits, in terms of collaboration and participation, that
you otherwise miss out.

-- Don (Trying to encourage friendly online communities)

Unfortunately, I suspect you'll snip out 90% of this mail, and reply
with some non sequitor. Please prove me wrong.