[Shootout-list] Ray tracer

[Isaac Gouy]

--- Greg Buchholz <sleepingsquirrel@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I'll chime in here, and state that I think some of the confusion
> about the purpose of the Shootout comes from its misleading name.
> _The Computer *LANGUAGE* Shootout_ implies that we're trying to
> compare languages. 

imo People have argued for their own opinions on what the Shootout
should be - there really hasn't been confusion.


-snip-
> But what the Shootout is mainly geared toward (as hinted at in the
> FAQ) is a *compiler* comparison.  We're looking for which compiler
can
> produce the fastest executable using a given algorithm.  Usually,
> these types of contests are held between compilers of a single
> language (e.g. gcc vs. icc), but the Shootout has progressed beyond
> that stage, and allows entries whose syntax aren't exactly the same.

(Of course, no one ever reads the FAQ; and afaict most leave the
Shootout after gathering - or rejecting - evidence to support the ideas
they arrived with.)

*compiler* comparison 
Yes, it's always been a comparison of language implementations -
compilers, interpreters, JIT VMs.


> Maybe what we need to do is setup up a couple of different websites,
> each catering to a different way of looking at how to solve problems
> on computers.  I can think of a couple additional "shootouts" that
> could be interesting...

There will always be different (and very occasionaly new) ideas about
"interesting" additional shootouts.

imo Rather than trying to do those additional "shootouts", we should
improve the portability and usability of the scripts, package them, and
enjoy the wild ways other people make use of them. (But, like working
through the bugs, that would involve some tedious scripting.)




		
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