From: William James <w_a_x_man@...>
Date: 2007-09-22T19:20:14+09:00
Subject: Re: I am new to Ruby and I could use some expert advice as to how I can make this code run faster.

On Sep 20, 5:02 pm, Ruby Maniac <raych...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I am new to Ruby and I could use some expert advice as to how I can
> make this code run faster.
>
> def scramble(fname)
>     f = File.new(fname, "rb")
>     _fname = fname + ".scrambled"
>     begin
>         File.exist?(_fname) if File.delete(_fname)
>     rescue
>     end
>     ff = File.new(_fname, "wb+")
>     for l in f
>         l.each_byte{|c| ff.write((c | 0x80).chr) }
>     end
>     f.close()
>     ff.close()
> end

If you actually want speed, use a compiled language.
This FreeBasic code is about 160 times as fast and
demonstrates that using Python for any reason
whatsoever is unjustified.

Use Ruby when ease of programming is paramount;
use something like FreeBasic or LuaJIT when speed
is paramount.  Never submit to Python perversion.

sub scramble( filename as string )
  dim outname as string
  dim as integer  in_handle, out_handle, i, size
  dim bytes(1 to 4096) as byte

  outname = filename & ".scrambled"
  in_handle = freefile
  open filename for binary access read  as in_handle
  out_handle = freefile
  open outname for binary access write  as out_handle
  while not eof( in_handle )
    size = seek( in_handle )
    get #in_handle, , bytes()
    size = seek( in_handle ) - size
    for i = 1 to size
      bytes(i) = bytes(i) or &h80
    next
    put #out_handle, , bytes(1), size
  wend
  close
end sub