Path: csiph.com!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!nntp.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail
From: Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com>
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Optimization by programmers
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:42:10 -0700
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
Lines: 31
Message-ID: <8633urrgj1.fsf@linuxsc.com>
References: <1177fdi$26ea4$1@dont-email.me> <118tshf$r2kv$1@dont-email.me> <118uv1g$18lk0$1@dont-email.me> <86pky4rpmb.fsf@linuxsc.com> <1193dsi$2pbdi$1@dont-email.me> <868q4qsjdy.fsf@linuxsc.com> <jwvwls9mljt.fsf-monnier+comp.arch@gnu.org> <11969ba$3lmsq$5@dont-email.me> <jwvjyo8yv7k.fsf-monnier+comp.arch@gnu.org> <119b6fd$1buj2$1@dont-email.me> <20260927181805.0000132e@yahoo.com> <119bepl$1fl0g$1@dont-email.me> <20260927194301.0000194f@yahoo.com> <86mrt2r33i.fsf@linuxsc.com> <kOvuS.16$MN2.7@fx45.iad>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Injection-Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:42:13 +0000 (UTC)
Injection-Info: dont-email.me; logging-data="3777053"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org";	posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1/QXVj/3taDGI3DqSpERCKDLVILN9nHTek="; posting-host="6296a4278ffab0fbbf1eadbbdc6604eb"
User-Agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.4 (gnu/linux)
Cancel-Lock: sha1:B9aO1SH71f6YIYeYRtqrRiIzmPs= sha1:buxna0zqvquxtFp6SDb1H3GcHr8= sha256:8k559tHeXzUqRClkj/9BRda56QvzPLjIgIMk9Uyjdd0= sha1:9XWXyBhG9OYyJAMVk1vPsTP4d7U= sha256:8JVO90SaQIykyac8VBG7oR5XBGBj5LYaMbH5HLW3kyo=
Xref: csiph.com comp.arch:118327

scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) writes:

> Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:
>
>> Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> writes:
>
>  <int_fast_32_discussion>
>
>>> That's not universal.
>>> For example, on both alive 64-bit Windows targets int_fast32_t is
>>> 32-bit.
>>> Godbolt shows the same for clang for MIPS64.  I have no idea what OS it
>>> targets.
>>>
>>> Besides, int_fast32_t is both above my threshold of acceptable ugliness
>>> and acceptable geekery.
>>
>> I favor a type equivalent to size_t for use as array index variables.
>
> I -use- size_t for array index variables.

I generally do not use the type name size_t for indicating anything
other than values meant to hold a size in bytes, such as would be
produced by the sizeof operator.

I do use the type size_t for all sorts of other different things,
but normally with a different name given by using a typedef.  An
example is the type name Index for variables meant to hold array
index values.  I find using such more specific names, rather than
using size_t everywhere, generally makes code easier to read and
understand.