[jmzachary]

Thanks for the very detailed answer. Amazingly, I can follow the gist of it after over 10 years.

But, you still don't answer the question. What problems in compiler optimization are more important than problems in protein folding? You seems to indicate that protein folding is a basic science problem and not a "practically useful discipline". In fact, your statement "It would be great if we could predict protein structure accurately, but we can't, and until we can, it's not a practically useful discipline" says that the because the problem isn't solved, it's not important, but it will be important when it's solved. So, trying to solve the problem is important, no?

But, you don't say anything about compiler research, and specifically compiler optimization research and development, which you claimed is much more important. What specific areas in compiler optimization (or just in compiler design) are more important than protein structure prediction and modeling?

[timr]

I did answer your question, but now you're asking a different one. I have no idea how "important" protein structure prediction will ultimately become; I just know that it's currently pretty useless, and getting worse.

My first comment was that compiler optimization is about a thousand times more useful than protein folding. I stand by that remark. However, at the beginning of my long answer, I mistakenly wrote that protein structure prediction is not important, when I had meant to write that it is not useful: protein folding is an important biological process, but protein structure prediction is not particularly useful, for the reasons I've mentioned.

It's not my place to say which area of research is more important. That's a subjective question, and the answer depends on your value system, your outlook, and your willingness to wait. Obviously, I think that compiler optimization is more useful, because compilers are actually in use today. In 100 years...who knows?

That said, I think you're laboring under the assumption that compiler optimization is a "mature" field, and that it is "solved" (and therefore less important), whereas protein folding is not "solved" (and therefore more important). The thing is, people have been doing protein folding research for at least fifty years -- it is a very mature field, and the low-hanging fruit has been picked. I think that a new researcher is equally likely to make significant gains in either field, but that the potential for practical impact is still much greater in compiler design.

[jmzachary]

I'm asking the same question, and you're not close to answering it. My question was "what problems in compiler optimization make it a thousand times more useful than protein folding and associated medical problems?" because you authoritatively stated that protein folding work (implicitly computational protein folding work) was much less important/useful (pick one) than compiler optimization work. You keep talking about protein folding research, but you don't say anything about compiler optimization. Was that comparison just an off-hand or self-deprecating remark about protein folding work? I'm not asking which area is more important. And, I know enough about both fields to not get lost in the technical details of your answers. So, I'll ask it again: what problems in compiler optimization make it a thousand times more useful than protein folding and associated medical problems?

[timr]

If you want to know the most important/useful areas in compiler research, go ask a compiler researcher. I'm not a compiler researcher.

Compilers are used on a daily basis for real work; protein structure prediction is not. For this reason alone, research into compilers is more useful.