Re: Re: Slow Version 4 Front End
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg18815] Re: [mg18761] Re: Slow Version 4 Front End
- From: Richard Gass <gass at physics.uc.edu>
- Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 08:19:31 -0400
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
>In article <7mp3gt$l9b at smc.vnet.net>, Bob Stagat <stagat at mrcsb.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm using Mathematica 4 on a PowerMac. When I was using version 3, if I
>> evaluated a cell that contained a very simple expression -- 2+2, say --
>> it would evaluate very quickly -- in some fraction of a second. Both
>> measured in CPU time, as evaluated by the kernel's Timing[] function, and
>> in wall clock time, as evaluated by the Front End's "ShowTiming" option.
>>
>> With Mathematica 4, evaluating a cell takes an absolute minimum of about
>> 4.2 seconds of wall clock time, as indicated by the Front End's
>> "ShowTiming" function -- and also by my monotonically increasing
>> frustration level. Even for trivial evaluations, like 2+2, for which
>> Timing[] returns {0. Second, 4}, but which the Front End shows took 4.42
>> seconds of wall clock time.
>>
>> Why is the version 4 Front End so abysmally slow in communicating with
>> the kernel? What in the world is consuming this 4+ seconds of overhead on
>> every single thing I evaluate? Are there any options I can set to
>> eliminate these inordinate delays? I know it doesn't have to be so,
>> because version 3 never exhibited this frustrating behavior.
>
>I would say you have it misconfigured somehow. I don't find this problem
>in Windows, Linux or MacOS.
>
>On the MacOS, I tried it on both a 400MHz B&W G3 and a 266MHz Gray G3. I
>get 0. Second for simple additions, on both platforms. This is using
>MacOS 8.6, with the Standard Install.
>
>Try running with just the 8.6 extensions on.
>
>--Ron Bruck
I think the problem is more subtle. On my G3 at home 4.0 is fine. However
at work on my 8500 I notice the same problem that Bob does. The Timings are
ok but it takes the Front End several second before it talks to the kernel.
This problem goes away if there is no delay between running several lines
of code. It is as if the kernel goes to sleep. I have not yet succeeded in
tracking down the problem.
Richard Gass
Department of Physics
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45221
phone- 513-556-0519
E-Mail gass at physics.uc.edu