I can't speak for the experiments you're referring to specifically, but I've seen studies make the mistake of comparing a 1:1 ratio of std::shared_ptr objects to garbage collected references in other languages. I hate these comparisons because it overlooks the fact that garbage collected languages are so enamored by their own GC firepower that they insist on creating garbage all over the place. Outside of the base primitives, pretty much everything becomes an object that is individually tracked on the heap. C and C++ have the advantage of keeping tons of stuff on the stack and having many objects share one block in the heap (pools, regions, etc.) if necessary.

Obj-C and Swift seem to sit in the middle as it forces certain objects into the heap against your will, but I'd still think that just a little bit a forethought in the application's design would allow it to beat most GC equivalents.

Seconded. I would be interested in this project. I am a software engineer. :]

As a software engineer, I strongly oppose this move, and I oppose the advent the silly standard of prefixes "gibi" "mebi" etc. There is no alignment between the digital world and the physical world. It is not hard to clarify to people that when dealing in binary, a kilo is 1024. Non-computer scientists need to shut their mouths regarding this issue because they will never make any kind of mathematical connection between kilograms and kilobytes. They have absolutely no relationship unless performing some bizarre calculation on the weight of hard drives. The choice to make a kilobyte 1024 bytes had nothing to do with making us unique, attacking SI, or confusing people. It is just a fact: 1000 has no real meaning in the world of binary. 1000 is an incredibly arbitrary and useless measurement. However, shift to 1024, and now we're in business! We can make effective calculations regarding blocks of memory because they line up ever so nicely. Again, it is a very clean/distinguishable line: 1000 in the physical world, 1024 in the digital world. Frankly, I will never use the new prefixes. No one recognizes them, and the other prefixes make perfect sense. Basically, either people will get it or they won't. If they get it, then they know WHY it is 1024 and not 1000. If they don't get it, it is irrelevant to them, and they just want the device to work.

It is painful listening to people moan and groan over "how terrible the graphics are on the Wii". Did you know that the Wii has superior graphics power to that of the original XBox? Last generation, everyone geeked out over how beautiful XBox graphics were. Suddenly, that level is inadequate and terrible? I'm not implying that Wii rivals its current competitors' graphics power at all, but the hypocrisy over ripping on the Wii's graphics becomes old fast. "The Wii's graphics suck." OK, so, have you tossed all your PS2 and XBox games into the trash yet? Those games are most certainly UNBEARABLE by today's standard. How can you even look at them?

I like graphics. I recently purchased an NVIDIA GTX 275 because I wanted my games to perform better. My NVIDIA 8500 GT simply was not doing the job (plus, it overheated and died a miserable death). However, graphics cannot save a game from terrible gameplay. If I want "flawless graphics", I'll go watch a movie. At least those approach actual realism. For my games, I welcome the idea that graphics improve my level of immersion into the game, but I better be having fun. If I like a game HIGH settings, I guarantee that I like the game on LOW settings too. I can't think of a game I played and said, "It had potential, but the graphics were not good enough for me." Yes, I am one of those gamers who runs DOSBOX and fires up the classics in their 320x240 glory now and again.

Wii took the industry by storm, and the competitors refuse to admit it. Sony has been the most mathematically challenged at times. One month, the Wii outsold it 4:1. The following month, Wii only outsold it 3:1, and Sony interpreted that as "catching up". Well, it is certainly a step in the right direction, but the gap in sales still WIDENED that month. Phailure.