running same script on same data on two different machines --> different result

[Steve Holden]

Christopher Brewster wrote:
> I am running the same script on the same data on two different
> machines (the folder is synchronised with Dropbox).
> I get two different results. All the script does is count words in
> different files and perform a simple set operation on the word lists.
> The laptop is a Macbook Pro (2 1/2 years old) running OS X 10.5.5 with
> Python 2.5.1
> The desktop is an iMac (brand new) running OS X 10.5.5 also with
> Python 2.5.1
> 
> I have tried running the script on an ubuntu server with Python 2.5.2
> and the results corresponded with my laptop's output.
> How can I find out the cause of this anomaly? What tests can I
> perform?
> 
OK, as a university denizen you are presumably a smart type. Do you
*really* think this is an adequate problem description for debugging?

You might drop lucky, but more information couldn't possibly hurt. We
*try* to be mindreaders, but it would help to know whether you are
talking about string handling or floating-point computations, for example.

If the latter then it's probably because one machine is based on PowerPC
architecture and the other is a more recent Intel-architecture Mac.

regards
 Steve
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Steve Holden        +1 571 484 6266   +1 800 494 3119
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