Newsgroups: comp.lang.prolog
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From: paulward@torolab.vnet.ibm.com (paulward)
Subject: Re: speed of prolog
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Message-ID: <PAULWARD.95Jun7083106@skyhawk.torolab.vnet.ibm.com>
In-Reply-To: cc41a@dcc.uchile.cl's message of Tue, 6 Jun 1995 15:39:35 GMT
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 12:31:06 GMT
Lines: 31
References: <3pam2e$9jh@chuangtsu.acns.carleton.edu> <3pptgj$6do@percy.cs.bham.ac.uk>
	<D90wt4.32n@cee.hw.ac.uk> <9514714.11493@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>
	<D9rCu0.Ips@dcc.uchile.cl>
Organization: IBM Toronto Lab

>>>>> "Lenguajes" == Lenguajes de Programacion <cc41a@dcc.uchile.cl> writes:

Lenguajes> In article <9514714.11493@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>, fjh@munta.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Fergus Henderson) writes:
Lenguajes> |> andrew@cee.hw.ac.uk (Andrew Dinn) writes:
Lenguajes> |>
Lenguajes> |> If there are any tasks where Prolog can out-perform C or C++,
Lenguajes> |> they are *very* few and far between.  I challenge anyone to
Lenguajes> |> produce such a Prolog program.  I am very confident that I
Lenguajes> |> could write a C/C++ program with equal or better performance.
Lenguajes> |>

Lenguajes>   Ok, Fergus, Let us say we will make a program, you in C++ and I in Prolog,
Lenguajes> that puts 8 queens in a chess board in a way that no one
Lenguajes> threatens each other.

Ah yes.  Eight-queens.  One of the more useful programs in industry.
It ranks right up there with logic puzzles.  I use them every day.

Please don't take this as a major flame, but a statement of why Prolog
is perceived as absolutely irrelevant by so many people in industry.
The examples are _worthless_.  Solve real problems.  Want some?  How
about figuring out optimal network packet routing in real time.  Try a
PBX in Prolog.  How about ATM switches.  Financial transaction
software.  Please, there are billions of lines of code out there doing
real stuff.  Please don't try to sell me your language by telling me
how efficiently it will solve eight queens.
-- 
-- Paul (paulward@vnet.ibm.com)   | A barbarian that requires a justification
DB2/PE Development.               | will use the nearest appealing one.  Blame
Shouldn't there be a shorter word | the barbarian, not his justification for
for the concept "monosyllabic".   | his acts.
