Re: Smart sorting algorithm ?

[dewar@gnat.com (Robert Dewar)]

Wes Groleau <wesgroleau@despammed.com> wrote in message news:<3D2A0A25.52A62B7C@despammed.com>...
> > Anyone know anything about a sorting algorithm
> > that includes the ability to infer the answer
> > to a comparison from comparisons already done?
> 
> I solved this part.  Wrote an "<" that
> first checks a 2D lookup table.  If the 
> answer is "unknown" it does the comparison,
> then updates as many cells in the table as
> possible.  Once you compare A & B, you may
> be able to determine (and record) the
> order of A,C based on B,C or vice versa.

That's just got to be a non-optimal solution. You just
can't get below NlogN comparisons this way, so why not
just use a decent NlogN comparison algorithm in the first
place (e.g. GNAT.Heap_Sort_A). I think you are wasting
your time here.