On Friday 16 January 2009 08:42:52 Hugo Ferreira wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have implemented a simple Prolog like inference engine
> to be used in machine learning algorithms (ILP). My first
> basic test shows that inference is dismally slow (compared
> to a Prolog compiler).

Can you quantify that?

> Consequently I am looking for information on optimizing the code.

IIRC, the single most productive optimization I made to the Mathematica 
implementation I wrote in OCaml was to check when recursive rewrites were 
leaving an expression unaltered and return the original when possible to 
avoid copying. I don't know if that is relevant here.

Also IIRC, someone else wrote that they lashed together a quick Prolog 
implementation in OCaml and were surprised to find it outperforming real 
Prolog compilers.

> I have found: 
>
> http://ocaml.janestreet.com/?q=node/30
> http://camltastic.blogspot.com/2008/05/optimizing-memory-allocation-and-loo
>ps.html
>
> Does anyone have any other links or articles I may look at?

The articles on low-level optimization in the OCaml Journal are almost 
certainly relevant. OCaml for Scientists covers data structure performance in 
detail. No other sources are as comprehensive with regard to optimization 
AFAIK.

-- 
Dr Jon Harrop, Flying Frog Consultancy Ltd.
http://www.ffconsultancy.com/?e