Newsgroups: comp.arch
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uupsi!ficc!peter
From: peter@ficc.ferranti.com (peter da silva)
Subject: Re: Compilers and efficiency
Message-ID: <VR9BDL2@xds13.ferranti.com>
Organization: Ferranti International Controls Corporation
References: <12054@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <12235@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: Mon, 13 May 91 12:11:42 GMT

In article <12235@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes:
> The summary points out the problems.  Does one have to go to great lengths
> to get a car which has features not in the "general driving base"?

Yes. For example, it is getting harder and harder to find a car with
competantly designed setabelts instead of rube-goldberg "passive restraint"
systems (whether or not accompanied by an airbag). That's because the
general public is lazy, so that's where all the money is.

> Do film companies only make films for the "general public"?

In general, yes. At least that's where all the money is.

> Should one even consider that universities only teach courses for the
> "general student"?

That's where all the money is.

> In addition, there is much use of instructions for systems programs and
> libraries  which the individual programmer will not use.

So how about some *examples*?

The "general computer base" is where the money is, and building a chip is
not cheap. Nor is the return on investment that high.
-- 
Peter da Silva; Ferranti International Controls Corporation; +1 713 274 5180;
Sugar Land, TX  77487-5012;         `-_-' "Have you hugged your wolf, today?"
