[GRASS-dev] Raster format and dual function module

[Hamish]

> This is due to another frustration I've had with speed of execution.
> While running long chains of commands in simulations I can't help
> realising that every command has to reload a map from disk and then
> write it back. As we all know, disk access is REALLY slow in
> comparison to memory etc. so if GRASS modules were compiled as
> libraries the last N (N being configurable) number of loaded maps
> could remain in memory for quick processing and display.

Your OS should cache the data in non-reserved memory space and reuse it
if possible, or dump it if something else wants the space. 

e.g. grep for something in the grass source code, then when it is done
try it again. The second time will finish in 5% of the time as it wasn't
reading from the disk. The more memory you have, the more potential for
cache space.


Hamish