[MLton] I/O still much slower than C

[Stephen Weeks]

> I'm looking in fast-imperative-io.fun in the definition of input1
> (the second definition since the first is never used).  It does a
> test of the stream to see if it is a Buffer or Stream.

Yes, although if you don't use streams MLton should optimize all this
away. 

> In general I would think that this could all be in a single
> interface which always looks at a count and, if there is room, it
> just extracts the character.  All other cases would have the count
> set so that it looks like not enough room, and then the slow code
> can do what ever (including EOF, etc.).

This makes sense.  I've started on it, but won't have time to finish
it before I leave for a trip today.  I'll look at it when I get back
on Monday.