Re: GCC Benchmarks (coybench), AMD64 and i686, 14 August 2004

[Robert Dewar <dewar at gnat dot com>]

Scott Robert Ladd wrote:

> Given that Intel is smart-enough to generate both correct and fast code 
> from the source, GCC should be able to do the same. I'm thankful that we 
> have a very smart group of people who are working hard on such matters.

I am always suspicious of spec results. So much effort is expended by
some systems houses (including Intel) that is focused on the spec
programs, and I am never convinced that the result is representative.

Of course in this case, we know some clear ways to improve results
that for sure *are* generally useful. I think we should always
concentrate on the notion of generally useful, and consider spec
results to be useful only as an indication of possible candidates,
not as an end in themselves.