Chances are that the majority of developers won't find the most efficient algorithm to solve the problem.<p>(vs. the most efficient implementation of that algorithm... which is clearly going to be in a combination of C and assembly anyway).<p>Anyway, the guy using the good algorithm ends up with the fastest code. Different compilers will produce different quality of code.<p>Question is, if I am using C++ vs. a guy using Perl, will I ever reach the efficient algorithm? I might call it quits when I finally get something to compile and not segfault.<p>(Of course even this is kind of a strawman, because the perl guy can just reimplement in C++ when he figures out that he wants more speed out of his good algorithm).