Re: Does Glowscript have numpy-like performance?

After more study of GlowScript vs. VPython versions of the VPython
gas.py program:

VPython gas.py with 100 atoms, dt = 1e-5, rate 500, no graphing: 100
iterations = 0.4 seconds.

If gas.py is modified to not use numpy, the time is 3.6 s.

The similar Glowsript program with same conditions: 100 iterations =
3.2 seconds on Firefox.

Oddly, on at least one 64-bit Windows machine, the time is 5.3 seconds
on Chrome.

On a 32-bit Windows laptop, 4.2 seconds on Firefox, 2.5 seconds on
Chrome, the reverse of the ordering on the other Windows machine.

There is a very major difference between Chrome and Firefox. With
Firefox, the animation periodically freezes, probably due to
JavaScript garbage collection. These freeze-ups do not occur with
Chrome or Safari.

-----------------------

You can run this program (if you have a WebGL-enabled browser; see the
Help at glowscript.org) at

http://www.glowscript.org/#/user/GlowScriptDemos/folder/Examples/program/HardSphereGas

A summary statement is that the factor of 10 speed advantage of
VPython over GlowScript comes completely from the parallel C-speed
numpy arrays. Without numpy, the VPython and GlowScript (Python and
JavaScript) execution speeds are about the same. I had mistakenly
thought that JavaScript was much faster than Python, but  that seems
not to be the case.

Bruce Sherwood

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Live Security Virtual Conference
Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and 
threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions 
will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware 
threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/