Hi

we did some performance on initialize with andreas when he was visiting 
us (and I should have taken time to profile that). We got with the 
macro benchmark between 3% and 12% without ***Any*** optimization nor 
analysis which means only putting

Object class>>new
	^ super new initialize

Object>>initialize

	^ self

I think that a person good with the profiler could get really fast to 
understand whay we got this 12%. We were also thinking to shortcut 
scheme by redefine it on Array
So I would love to have that in Squeak. This was so well done in CLOS.

I have no time for that now but please give a try.

Stef

PS: Andreas was extremely surprised it would cost so less. It was fun 
to see its reaction.


On Wednesday, April 16, 2003, at 02:58 PM, Stephen Pair wrote:

> Cees de Groot wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 2003-04-16 at 01:03, Richard A. O'Keefe wrote:
>>
>>>    new
>>>        ^self basicNew initialize
>>>    initialize
>>>        "do nothing"
>>>
>>> then many classes would not need to define #new at all.
>>>
>>>
>> Exactly my idea. The only counter argument so far seems to be
>> performance - the extra 'dummy' message send to 'initialize' on 
>> instance
>> creation for *every* object, which is assumed to be expensive but
>> appears to be acceptably cheap.
>> Personally, I would vote pro this cleanup. If people find a case where
>> they don't want it (for performance reasons or whatever), they're free
>> to override this sensible default.
>>
>
> It sounds to me like a sensible thing to do.  The only thing I'd like 
> to see is some measurements of the performance impact (after all, 
> objects are creeated at a furious pace).  Then, if the performance 
> impact is measurable, figure out a way to optimize it to regain speed 
> so that it is never necessary for someone to override the default just 
> for the sake of performance.
>
> - Stephen
>
>
>
>
>
Prof. Dr. Stéphane DUCASSE
http://www.iam.unibe.ch/~ducasse/
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different? ...  especially if,
  by doing something different, today might not be your last day on 
earth" Calvin&Hobbes

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