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> the tired meme of "the compiler generates better assembly code than a human" This seems incomplete. Which human? The average software developer? That doesn't
by MaxBarraclough 6y ago
> the tired meme of "the compiler generates better assembly code than a human"
This seems incomplete. Which human? The average software developer? That doesn't say much. Few developers have the necessary expertise. Expert assembly programmers are often able to outperform compilers.
- jlcummings 6y agoBetter wouldn’t necessarily be the right qualifier, but faster, typically more repeatable, and greatly more economical with scale/workload would certainly fit as better from different vantages. With high novelty? Probably not until machine learning and compilers are deeply entangled.
- slaymaker1907 6y agoThat very much depends on the code. Program synthesis is an active area of research and the programs found would often be very difficult for a human to figure out. Of course a sufficiently determined human can always do whatever these programs do, but I do think it is unfair to give an unlimited amount of time to human optimizers.