not need to do arithmetic at runtime to access them. (But beware:
this would complicate handling of the interior pointer).
-b. (Also note that raw slots are currently disabled on HPPA)
\ No newline at end of file
+b. (Also note that raw slots are currently disabled on HPPA)
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#29
+Python is overly zealous when converting high-level CL functions, such
+as MIN/MAX, LOGBITP, and LOGTEST, to low-level CL functions. Reducing
+Python's aggressiveness would make it easier to effect changes such as
+
+x86-64:
+* direct MIN/MAX on {SINGLE,DOUBLE}-FLOATs ({MIN,MAX}S{S,D})
+
+x86-64:
+* direct LOGBITP on word-sized integers and fixnums (BT + JC)
+
+x86{,-64}/PPC:
+* branch-free MIN/MAX on word-sized integers and fixnums (floats could
+ be handled too, modulo safety considerations on the PPC)
+
+x86-64:
+* efficient LOGTESTs on word-sized integers and fixnums (TEST)
+
+etc., etc.
+
+(The framework for this has been implemented as of 0.9.9.18; see the
+vm-support-routine COMBINATION-IMPLEMENTATION-STYLE and its use in
+src/compiler/ir1opt.lisp, IR1-OPTIMIZE-COMBINATION. The above
+optimizations are left as an exercise for the reader.)
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#30
+(defun foo (x y)
+ (< x y))
+
+FOO's IR1 representation is roughly:
+
+(defun foo (x y)
+ (if (< x y)
+ T
+ NIL))
+
+However, if a full call is generated for < (and similarly for other
+predicate functions), then the IF is unnecessary, since the return value
+of (< x y) is already T or NIL.