[sword-devel] Suggestion

[sword-devel@crosswire.org]

Trevor Jenkins wrote:

> On Tuesday, 28 December, 1999 18:52:20, I wrote in reply to:
> 
> > On Monday, 27 December, 1999 01:04:40, Chris Little <chrislit@chiasma.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> ...  If the search index file is present in
> >> the module directory, it uses its search method,
> >> otherwise it falls back on a linear search.
> >
> > One idle thought that presents itself would be to construct the indices as
> > the user looks for things.
> 
> An even more idle thought I've just had is to construct the indices on the
> first occasion that the user looks for anything.

I would think that it would be far more costly to construct an inverted
file than reading sequentially through a file, thereore imposing an
incredible cost on the first query.  Is this an unfounded concern?

What would some of the issues be in simply having the inverted file created
before staging for download, and making it an optional part of the
download? How about having it created as part of the installation
procedure?

Are there issues that would require the inverted file to be created on the
target system?  Would a higher level of optimization be possible?

Assuming a mid-range Intel based system (perhaps a 350 mhz Celeron) how
long would it take to create an inverted file for an existing bible text?

These are the first quesitons I would ask before deciding when to create
the inverted file.

--
   Darwin Gregory

   Creation is more scientifically valid than evolution!