shields%nyu@sri-unix.UUCP (02/14/84)
From: shields@nyu (David Shields)
Here are some comparisons between PC SPITBOL and Minnesota SNOBOL4:
NQUEENS program included with Minnesota SNOBOL4:
Compile Execute (times in seconds)
SNOBOL4 2.5 35.8
SPITBOL 0.6 1.3
LOOP is a short program to test statement overhead:
LP I = I + 1
LE(I, 10000) :S(LP)
Execute
SNOBOL4 144.8
SPITBOL 7.1
BASIC 13.0 BASICA: 20 FOR I=1 TO 10000: NEXT I
For these two programs, SPITBOL executes from 20 to 30 times faster.
Note that SPITBOL executes LOOP about twice as fast as BASICA interpreter.
Runs were made on PC running DOS 2.0 with Davong disk.
As one of the implementors of PC SPITBOL I am not a disinterested party.
However, since there has been a request for comparative performance
information and since I am one of the few people with access to both
versions, I am sending these figures along now.
David Shields