On Feb 5, 2009, at 5:55 PM, Shane Stanley wrote: > On 6/2/09 7:13 AM, "Ryan Wilcox" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> I believed the second one would be much faster than the first as well > > Why? The first is just modifying a string; the second is modifying a > (large > and growing) list. > ... modifying a string and then creating a huge list. But still, the second is playing with a list from the outset. I believe a while ago Chris Nebel put a god explanation on why lists require more "work" in the Apple AppleScript list. If one does away with the need of manipulating a list but instead uses a reference to the list then the situation changes dramatically: set a to "b" set c to {} -- set t0 to (current date) repeat 10000 times set a to a & "a" end repeat set b to text items of a set t1 to (current date) - t0 -- set t2 to (current date) repeat 10000 times set end of (a reference to c) to "a" end repeat set t3 to (current date) - t2 -- {t1, t3} ---{1,0} OMM Deivy Petrescu [log in to unmask]