Re:Why Learn Compilers
by slavapestov on Monday May 29, 2023 @11:35PM
(#36120853)
> Both clang and gcc support `-fprofile-generate`. Beyond that generic infrastructure, in my area (DL compilers) if you're not doing PGO/autotuning you're not serious.
How many binaries in a typical Linux distro are built with PGO for example? The answer is approximately zero.
Re:Why Learn Compilers
by mathisfun123 on Monday May 29, 2023 @11:57PM
(#36120981)
Your point? Because your first goalpost was "most compilers don't even support PGO". And now the goalpost is Linux distros? How about this one - how many binaries at FB/G are built with PGO? Answer: a great deal (llvm/bolt is a FB project and MLGO is a G project).
Re:Why Learn Compilers
by slavapestov on Tuesday May 30, 2023 @12:04AM
(#36121010)
My point is that the view of a compiler as a series of transformation passes from a source program to machine code, implemented as pure functions, is an entirely appropriate way to describe how they work in a random introductory blog post?
Congratulations on your recent PhD in quantum machine learning or whatever -- I hope you find some way to speed up FB/G's ad serving algorithms by 1% and land that promotion. I'm sure you're very smart.
Re:Why Learn Compilers
by mathisfun123 on Tuesday May 30, 2023 @12:09AM
(#36121027)
>My point is that the view of a compiler...
Your point in bringing up Linux was to reiterate your original point? Interesting.
> I hope you find some way to speed up FB/G's ad serving algorithms by 1% and land that promotion. I'm sure you're very smart.
lol
Both clang and gcc support `-fprofile-generate`. Beyond that generic infrastructure, in my area (DL compilers) if you're not doing PGO/autotuning you're not serious.
>Someone learning to write a compiler does not need to think about PGO.
That's like saying someone learning to write a compiler doesn't need to think about optimization at all - sure maybe the first time. But then every time after that it should be at the forefront of your mind.