[m-dev.] question about mode representation

[Zoltan Somogyi]

On Fri, 30 Mar 2018 08:39:33 -0500, Charles Shuller <charles.shuller at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 30, 2018 at 1:37 AM, Michael Day <mikeday at yeslogic.com> wrote:
> 
> > For all that time, the compiler will need more memory to represent programs
> >> than it does right now, and initially, the time needed to fill in the
> >> new field won't generate any returns in terms of performance. (There will
> >> be
> >> such returns later, when switching to use the new field allows a compiler
> >> pass to avoid threading the current instmap though.)
> >>
> >
> > Developer time is worth more than memory usage, so whatever approach makes
> > software engineering smoother is probably the way to go.
> >
> >
> If the extra memory is only required during compilation, which seems to be
> the case, then I agree whole-heartedly, Use the RAM :)

It is required only during compilation.

> If the extra memory is required in the generated executable, then I think
> the question is more complex.

That is not the case.

In fact, I am working on some changes to the Mercury compiler (unrelated
to the original email in this thread)  that will allow it to represent some
Mercury data structures using less memory.

Zoltan.