[Help-smalltalk] Re: GST benchmarks...

[Paolo Bonzini]

Krishnakumar Veeraraghavan wrote:
> Hi!,
>
> Was surprised to see GST placed after Lua and a host of other
> interpreters in the language shootout. I always felt that GST was one
> of those faster VMs.

First of all, 2.2 was faster.  Secondly, remember that Lua and Python 
and Perl execute mostly C code for the data structures.  Once you start 
writing your own objects and not only use associative arrays, GST will 
be better.

Also, GST has a JIT compiler though I don't know if it can run all the 
tests in the shootout (bugs).

> How is the VM implemented ? Is it a stack machine ?

Yes.

> Does it use a tagged representation ?

Yes.

> PS: is there a *working* mailing list so that I dont keep
> posting/bugging you all the time ;) ?

Yes, help-smalltalk on http://lists.gnu.org (I've CCed it).  Even if you 
do not want to subscribe, you can CC it (it is open).

Paolo