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by mncharity 3204 days ago
@igouy points out that while the old shootout site is gone, its language files are still available[1]. There are about 70 benchmarks, in about 70 languages. I remember them as interesting multilingual browsing.

Unlike the old shootout, adding languages directly to benchmarksgame.alioth.debian.org is not an option. "Because I know it will take more time than I choose. Been there; done that."[2] :) Instead, the code is available[3], and communities are invited to document their own benchmarksgame comparisons[2], such as Nim''s[4]. The OP used different code[5].

A brief glance at the current benchmarks, suggests there is some overlap with the old ones. Or at least an overlap of names - the requirements may have changed. So it might be possible to get started fairly easily? Perhaps even to do several languages...

[1] https://alioth.debian.org/scm/viewvc.php/shootout/bench/?roo... [2] https://benchmarksgame.alioth.debian.org/play.html [3] https://github.com/Byron/benchmarksgame-cvs-mirror [4] https://github.com/def-/nim-benchmarksgame [5] https://github.com/greensoftwarelab/Energy-Languages

3 comments

> Unlike the old shootout, adding languages directly to benchmarksgame.alioth.debian.org is not an option

No, not unlike the old shootout -- exactly like it !

Please stop making things up.

It's a pity that the OP didn't include Nim despite benchmark files for it being available.
If a summary of the test data is/were machine readable in the individual language repos, perhaps one could create an automated aggregation? A distributed/federated version of the old shootout. One with lower maintenance requirements. bendmarksgame-results.json?

The data would be crufty, of limited comparability. But combining easily browsable links to colorized source code, with "just for a rough feel" speed relative to C, might be sufficient for the use case of raising language awareness - "What is this C-speed-like language I've never heard of? Oh, that looks pretty! I think I'll explore this language's web page..."

Or alternately, use the language files on github to create a new, broader benchmarksgame. That is, distribute the work of benchmark revisions and makefile compiler options, but keep the testing centralized. I've no idea of the relative costs of those tasks, or of others. But a continuous integration shootout sounds intriguing.

> A distributed/federated version of the old shootout

It would be wonderful but how do you ensure any form of hardware consistency?

> There are about 70 benchmarks…

Most of which were replaced by something better.