Re: [xml-dev] Speed in Languages and Browser Architectures

[Elliotte Harold <elharo@metalab.unc.edu>]

derek denny-brown wrote:

> Except that we are talking about the performance of XML parsers, and
> XML is all about string processing and Java string processing is slow.
> Java XML parsing will never be faster than a good XML parser written
> in C.  There is just too much overhead, and C benefits from 'struct's,
> the lack of which hinders ones ability to write certain constructs
> efficiently in Java.   

My god! Are we moving back on topic? Has this ever happened before? `-)

Even if your assertions about string processing are true, there's no 
rule that says you have to use strings to write an XML processor. Off 
the top of my head I can think of three XML libraries/APIs for Java that 
deliberately avoid java.lang.String for some of their work.

If performance were really a concern, and String proved to be the real 
bottleneck, it's entirely possible someone could write an XML API based 
on bytes rather than strings. So far I don't think anyone's really had 
the motivation to do so. Either it hasn't been shown that strings are 
the problem, or they're not a big enough problem that anyone wants to 
take the time to fix them.

-- 
Elliotte Rusty Harold  elharo@metalab.unc.edu
Java I/O 2nd Edition Just Published!
http://www.cafeaulait.org/books/javaio2/
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