SPEC regression in perl

[Wolfgang Bangerth]

Jeff,

> Perl is notoriously flakey -- to the point of running the same binary
> with the same inputs varying by 10% without rhyme or reason.  In fact,
> I've found it's the most useless of all the SPEC tests because of the
> inability to get consistent results out of the bloody thing.
>
> I wouldn't mind looking at a specific problem if you can find one, but
> I'm not likely to go on what is likely a wild goose chase inside perl.

While your claim about variability is clearly supported by the charts in the 
tester, I think you can't decline looking at the problem that easily. 
Averaged over about 10 runs, the results for base tests in perlbmk are about 
20% worse starting at the date Andrew mentioned, and the drop is about four 
times as large as the variability. 

It would be nice if you could spend a little more time explaining why you 
think that you need not look into the problem pointed out.

Thanks
  Wolfgang

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wolfgang Bangerth              email:            bangerth@ices.utexas.edu
                               www: http://www.ices.utexas.edu/~bangerth/