Mac OS X Leopard - Ruby is 3X faster with disable-pthreads

[Aryk Grosz]

I have a fast mac pro computer.

I ran simple benchmark, and my computer took 13 seconds when
equal/slower macs around my office were only taking 2.5 seconds to
complete the exact same task.

I also noticed that my ruby was generally less zippier.

So I configure ruby to run WITHOUT pthread support, and now its at the
same speed as the other computers.

I dont really know how this could potentially screw things up, but Im
definitely liking the speed increase. The compiler told me the
following:

**
** PTHREAD SUPPORT MODE ERROR:
**
** Ruby is not compiled with --enable-pthread, but your Tcl/Tk
** library seems to be compiled with pthread support. This
** combination may cause frequent hang or segmentation fault
** errors when Ruby/Tk is working. We recommend that you NEVER
** create the library with such a combination of pthread support.
**
** Please recompile Ruby with the "--enable-pthread" configure option
** or recompile Tcl/Tk with the "--disable-threads" configure option.
**

What Im curious about is, why the big speed difference? Its a night and
day difference in performance. Is there any kind of other performance
issues that I have to watch out for now, like more frequent crashing or
something?

 

[Ezra Zygmuntowicz]

I have a fast mac pro computer.

I ran simple benchmark, and my computer took 13 seconds when
equal/slower macs around my office were only taking 2.5 seconds to
complete the exact same task.

I also noticed that my ruby was generally less zippier.

So I configure ruby to run WITHOUT pthread support, and now its at the
same speed as the other computers.

I dont really know how this could potentially screw things up, but Im
definitely liking the speed increase. The compiler told me the
following:

**
** PTHREAD SUPPORT MODE ERROR:
**
** Ruby is not compiled with --enable-pthread, but your Tcl/Tk
** library seems to be compiled with pthread support. This
** combination may cause frequent hang or segmentation fault
** errors when Ruby/Tk is working. We recommend that you NEVER
** create the library with such a combination of pthread support.
**
** Please recompile Ruby with the "--enable-pthread" configure
option
** or recompile Tcl/Tk with the "--disable-threads" configure
option.
**

What Im curious about is, why the big speed difference? Its a night
and
day difference in performance. Is there any kind of other performance
issues that I have to watch out for now, like more frequent crashing
or
something?

As long as you aren't using tk at all then you have no issue to watch
out for. I compile *all* of my ruby's with pthreads disabled including
all engine yard slices.

Cheers-


Ezra Zygmuntowicz
(e-mail address removed)

 

[znmeb]

=09As long as you aren't using tk at all then you have no issue to watch
out for. I compile *all* of my ruby's with pthreads disabled including
all engine yard slices.

You can also recompile "tcl" and "tk" with "pthreads" disabled. I =20
ended up having to run all three of them with pthreads for some other =20
dependency, although I don't remember which one. And I think Ruby 1.9 =20
requires pthreads.