From: Markus Mottl <mottl@miss.wu-wien.ac.at>

> Execution of "semantics" is also much faster than versions that use
> algebraic datatypes and pattern matching, because here we only have to
> call methods (wrapped in the functions of the stream) on objects instead
> of match abstract syntax trees or else.

Sorry to answer pinpoint, but I just want to avoid a confusion.

In caml pattern-matching is much more efficient than calling a method.
Calling a method is a dynamic operation, involving looking-up a table
and calling a possibly curried function, while pattern-matching is
completely statically compiled.

OO may help you structure your program, but when algebraic datatypes
are handy, I would suggest sticking with them.

	Jacques
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacques Garrigue      Kyoto University     garrigue at kurims.kyoto-u.ac.jp
		<A HREF=http://wwwfun.kurims.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~garrigue/>JG</A>