[comp.sys.sun] GNU cc vs cc

HORN%HYDRA@sdi.polaroid.com (11/21/90)

I recently conducted a more realistic test of the compilers and found gcc
version 1.37.1 significantly faster than Sun cc from 4.0.3 on a SS1.  The
test was TeX compiled gcc -O -finline... -fstrength... versus cc -O4.  The
timings were for the average of the last 3 out of 4 TeXings of the bison
manual to avoid cache related effects.  The gcc version took 60% of the
time of the cc version.  Drhystones are often misleading.

R Horn   horn%hydra@polaroid.com 

slevy@poincare.geom.umn.edu (Stuart Levy) (11/29/90)

In article <363@brchh104.bnr.ca> HORN%HYDRA@sdi.polaroid.com writes:
>I recently conducted a more realistic test of the compilers and found gcc
>version 1.37.1 significantly faster than Sun cc from 4.0.3 on a SS1.  The
>test was TeX compiled gcc -O -finline... -fstrength... versus cc -O4. ...
>  Drhystones are often misleading.

You have to be careful about what is realistic though... Trying some
homebrew DES-encryption code with cc -O4 vs. gcc 1.37.1, on a Sparcstation
under both 4.0.3 and 4.1, Sun cc won each time by about 10% on both of two
DES-related operations.  TeX is certainly much bigger, but both are "real"
applications.

    Stuart Levy, Geometry Group, University of Minnesota
    slevy@geom.umn.edu