Re: [cross-project-issues-dev] Performance, 3.8 versus 4.2

[Mike Wilson <Mike_Wilson@xxxxxxxxxx>]

We definitely *want* to re-enable the performance tests. The two things that have been holding it up currently are:
1) Resources to get them working on the foundation hardware
2) Working through the issues caused by running the performance tests on shared devices.

When we had a lab to hold dedicated performance machines we put a lot of effort into configuring and managing them so they behaved as close to exactly the same as possible. For example, there was one time that the RAM in a machine failed and we were able to see the impact of replacing that RAM (even though it was rated the same) as a difference in the test results.

In a world with potentially other tasks running on the same machines, wildly variable network traffic, etc. I don't think our current performance testing story will work. If that's true, it means it will be a *lot* of work to get them running again. Btw, if anyone has good insights on this and/or wants to help us get the tests running again, we'd love to get your help.

McQ.

"Andrey Loskutov" ---2012/09/05 16:16:17---Hi, Listening to all this 4.2 performance discussions here and for example at

From: "Andrey Loskutov" <loskutov@xxxxxx>
To: cross-project-issues-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx, cross-project-issues-dev-request@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: 2012/09/05 16:16
Subject: Re: [cross-project-issues-dev] Performance, 3.8 versus 4.2
Sent by: cross-project-issues-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx

---

Hi,

Listening to all this 4.2 performance discussions here and for example at  
[1] I would like to ask if the is a plan to re-enable performance  
regression tests for Eclipse (3.8.x / 4.2.x) platform as we had in the  
past before they were disabled in Juno (see [2]).

If there is no such plan yet, shouldn't we have one?

[1] https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=385272
[2]  
http://wiki.eclipse.org/Platform-releng/Transition_Plans_for_Platform_builds_after_Juno_M6

Regards,
Andrey

On Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:29:31 +0200,  
<cross-project-issues-dev-request@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2012 09:21:10 -0400
> From: John Arthorne <John_Arthorne@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Cross project issues <cross-project-issues-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [cross-project-issues-dev] Performance, 3.8 versus 4.2
> Message-ID:
> 		 <OF6B7596FB.B62EF228-ON85257A70.0048E946-85257A70.0049582F@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> I suggest anyone having problems to add constructive details on that bug.
> For example profiler output when repeatedly performing a slow operation,
> what plugins are installed, whether it is reproducible with vanilla
> Eclipse SDK, etc. There are some users reporting pervasive slowdowns, and
> for many others it is performing well. Something like a listener leak
> could have effects like this in conjunction with particular installed
> plugins. It takes time after any major release to isolate and resolve
> problems like this.
>
> John
>
> On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 3:08 PM, Thomas Hallgren <thomas@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> For various reasons I had to switch my development environment from 4.2  
> to
> 3.8 today. I was stunned by the performance improvement after the switch.
> The 3.8 platform is much MUCH faster. It boots faster, it closes windows
> faster, it shows menus faster, etc. It also seems to consume less memory
> and be less buggy. The way things stand right now, there's just no way
> I'll switch back to 4.2!
>
> I must say I was very surprised by this. Why is the 4.2 platform what's
> being fronted on the Eclipse download page when it's user experience and
> quality is lagging behind this much? Is it just me who have had this
> experience?
>
> Regards,
> Thomas Hallgren
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2012 06:29:22 -0700
> From: "Konstantin Komissarchik" <konstantin.komissarchik@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "'Cross project issues'" <cross-project-issues-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [cross-project-issues-dev] Performance, 3.8 versus 4.2
> Message-ID: <001201cd8b6a$76b74950$6425dbf0$@komissarchik@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Thomas,
>
>
> You are certainly not the only one seeing performance issues with 4.2. I  
> go back and forth between 4.2 and 3.8 every day depending on the project  
> I need to work on and the difference is quiet noticeable even on very  
> fast hardware. The part I notice the most is the lengthy close all  
> editors process. After drilling down into some task and opening a few  
> dozen editors, clearing workbench of open editors takes several seconds.  
> I can literally watch tabs disappear one by one. The same operation is  
> practically instantaneous on 3.8.
>
>
> For stability, user experience and performance reasons, you will find  
> that many third party distros have stayed on 3.8 for Juno.
>
>
> I don?t begrudge 4.x its growing pains. It is a complex technological  
> shift with a lot of promise. What I find most troubling is the decision  
> process that led to the use of 4.2 for Juno distros. When the decision  
> was made, it was plainly evident that 4.2 wasn?t going to match 3.8 on  
> any of the quality metrics. IDE users might have been ok with quality  
> drop if 4.2 delivered compelling new functionality that you couldn?t get  
> in 3.8, yet there is no tangible functional delta. The value of 4.x  
> platform is for RCP developers and to certain limited extent for IDE  
> plugin developers. Certainly not for IDE users. The refreshed  
> look-n-feel has been touted as a big end user feature of 4.2, but the  
> new look-n-feel itself has numerous issues that leave it looking like an  
> unfinished project.
>
>
> Sadly, the user reaction that we?ve been seeing over the last several  
> months has been entirely predictable.
>
>
> - Konstantin

-- 
Kind regards,
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Andrey Loskutov

+Andrey: http://plus.google.com/u/0/113794713998126448910
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