How relevant is the efficiency of programming languages?

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The efficiency of individual technologies plays a minor role at scientific conferences and in specialist committees in the field of sustainable IT. Although discussions occasionally get lost in efficiency comparisons of algorithms or web technologies, overall new publications on this topic make up a small proportion. The focus is on the efficient use of technologies, the avoidance of waste, hardware, energy sources or the economical use of computing power. But why is efficiency not more relevant?

Level of maturity: The efficiency of software has long been well understood. We know from benchmarks which technologies are how efficient. In addition, due to the limited availability of computing power, we have historically had good experience with how to develop high-performance software. We are therefore much further ahead in the area of ​​efficiency than, for example, in the responsible use of IT hardware or the use of renewable energies.
Efficiency: Compared to measures such as the use of renewable energy or the extended service life of hardware, efficiency improvements in individual software technologies often have only a low indonesia consumer email list efficiency. According to the principle of Pareto efficiency, one initially concentrates on the options for action with high efficiency and low investment costs before tackling costly optimizations with low efficiency in the area of ​​efficiency.
Conflicting goals: By increasing the efficiency of technology, the technologies are used more frequently and more intensively because the costs of using them are reduced or because they are simply more convenient - because they are faster. This conflicting goal is also known as the rebound effect. Efficiency does not always automatically lead to greater sustainability.
Comparability: Only a few software technologies are directly comparable. The two mentioned in the title have different properties, functions and ecosystems and are optimized for different problems, which is why a choice rarely has to be made between these two. A list that only looks at runtime aspects of technologies that are difficult to compare should therefore not be used alone for technology selection decisions. What is more helpful is comparing specific properties depending on the application. The Real World Example Apps , which can be used to test combinations of technologies, can provide assistance with this. However, it is even more useful to compare different configurations of the same technology, for example compared to the default configuration, in order to get the best out of each technology.