Bug in timsort!?

[alister]

On Wed, 25 Feb 2015 14:58:31 +0100, Sturla Molden wrote:

> On 24/02/15 22:34, Roy Smith wrote:
>> http://envisage-project.eu/proving-android-java-and-python-sorting-
algorithm-is-broken-and-how-to-fix-it/
>>
>>
> This is awful. It is broken for arrays longer than 2**49 elements. With
> 8 bytes per PyObject* pointer this is >4096 terabytes of RAM. I don't
> see how we can fix this in time.
> 
> Oh yes, and they mention that TimSort is used on billions of devices due
> to Android mobile phones. This is clearly very relevant for mobile
> phones. Next thing you know your litte Samsung Galaxy with more than
> 4096 terabytes breaks down from a stack overflow in TimSort.
> 
> 
> Sturla

the oh well it wont affect current devices attitude is a very poor 
attitude to big fixes.
if a bug is reported it should be resolved a quickly as practical sot hat 
it never does become a real world issue

much better to bolt the door BEFORE the horse bolts (even if the horse 
has not actually been borne yet)



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1: No code table for op: ++post