I’m wanting to test a few parts of code, and compare the speed difference. (For instance, the speed difference between Array and Vector)
The Array/Vector example is simple, since you are comparing the two against eachother.
For those who just want the main question without the babble, skip ahead and only read the bold part:
*[SIZE=2]However, if I want to test several examples over time, and compile a great list, the problem of a standard unit of processor power or time comes into play. For instance, one day I may be downloading a youtube video in one tab, running an intensive flash animation in another tab, and running a processor intensive 3d game in the background (which is likely to run consuming less CPU than the Flash app. 
I can’t stop being mean to Adobe…)
Another time I may compare speeds when nothing is running, and perhaps I decide to upgrade my RAM or CPU. Other times I may be at another computer, but still want to do my work.[/SIZE]*
There needs to be some sort of standard, so no matter how my computer is running, or what computer I am running it from, can still get the same results relative to some standard unit of CPU power/timing.
Does anyone have any ideas on what to make as a standard that is quite reliable? Is there any industrial standard standard?
I saw once in a magazine someone created a delay using the following:
for (var i:int = 0; i < 65535; i++);
Which is a great idea, but on my computer, it runs at about 2ms, so it might be a little low to use as a standard, or at least not very precise.
So, perhaps if I upped the number, it might be a more precise result (that’s 8 zeroes)
var s:int = getTimer();
for (var i:int = 0; i < 100000000; i++);
var e:int = getTimer();
var standard:int = e - s; //About 1805 on my computer, or 1.8 seconds
So, let’s say a chunk of code (in my case placing 10,000,000 random numbers into an Array) runs at 8239ms (or 8.2 seconds), that would mean that the function runs at a speed of 4.218638 (I like precision) - compared to a surprising vector speed of 4.550872 (Didn’t expect that…)
Would this be a reliable system? Or do for loops perhaps run faster on some computers than others relative to other executions of code?
On a related note, has anyone already compiled a list of the speed differences of different functions and code snippets?
