diff -cr perl5.004_56.dist/global.sym perl5.004_56/global.sym
*** perl5.004_56.dist/global.sym	Wed Dec 10 04:35:45 1997
--- perl5.004_56/global.sym	Fri Jan 23 18:39:50 1998
***************
*** 991,999 ****
--- 991,1001 ----
  sv_insert
  sv_isa
  sv_isobject
+ sv_i_ncmp
  sv_len
  sv_magic
  sv_mortalcopy
+ sv_ncmp
  sv_newmortal
  sv_newref
  sv_peek
diff -cr perl5.004_56.dist/op.c perl5.004_56/op.c
*** perl5.004_56.dist/op.c	Thu Dec 11 09:43:00 1997
--- perl5.004_56/op.c	Fri Jan 23 18:56:40 1998
***************
*** 41,46 ****
--- 41,47 ----
  static PADOFFSET pad_findlex _((char* name, PADOFFSET newoff, U32 seq,
  	CV* startcv, I32 cx_ix));
  static OP *newDEFSVOP _((void));
+ static void simplify_sort _((OP *o));
  
  static char*
  gv_ename(GV *gv)
***************
*** 4475,4484 ****
--- 4476,4573 ----
  	    else
  		kid->op_next = k;
  	    o->op_flags |= OPf_SPECIAL;
+ 
+ 	    if (o->op_type == OP_SORT)
+ 		simplify_sort(o);
  	}
      }
  
      return o;
+ }
+ 
+ void
+ simplify_sort(OP *o)
+ {
+     I32 descending;
+     I32 numeric;
+     I32 use_int = 0;
+     OP *kid;
+     OP *ss;
+     SV *tmpsv;
+     SV *cura = sv_2mortal(newSVpvf("%s::a",
+ 			  HvNAME(curstash ? curstash : defstash)));
+     SV *curb = sv_2mortal(newSVpvf("%s::b",
+ 			  HvNAME(curstash ? curstash : defstash)));
+ 
+     kid = cLISTOPo->op_first->op_sibling;
+     kid = kUNOP->op_first;
+     kid = kUNOP->op_first;
+ 
+     /* see if we can use a faster version */
+     ss = kid->op_next;
+ 
+     /* look for gvsv(curpkg::[ab])... */
+     if (ss->op_type != OP_GVSV)
+ 	return;
+     else {
+ 	tmpsv = sv_2mortal(NEWSV(0,0));
+ 	gv_fullname3(tmpsv, ((GVOP *)ss)->op_gv, Nullch);
+ 
+ 	if (strEQ(SvPVX(tmpsv), SvPVX(cura)))
+ 	    descending = 0;
+ 	else if (strEQ(SvPVX(tmpsv), SvPVX(curb)))
+ 	    descending = 1;
+ 	else
+ 	    return;
+     }
+ 
+     /* ...now look for the other... */
+     ss = ss->op_next;
+     if (ss->op_type != OP_GVSV)
+ 	return;
+     else {
+ 	gv_fullname3(tmpsv, ((GVOP *)ss)->op_gv, Nullch);
+ 
+ 	if (strEQ(SvPVX(tmpsv), SvPVX(cura)))
+ 	    if (!descending)
+ 		return;
+ 	else if (strEQ(SvPVX(tmpsv), SvPVX(curb)))
+ 	    if (descending)
+ 		return;
+ 	else
+ 	    return;
+     }
+ 
+     /* ...check the comparison... */
+     ss = ss->op_next;
+     switch (ss->op_type) {
+     case OP_NCMP:
+     case OP_I_NCMP:
+ 	numeric = 1;
+ 	if (ss->op_type == OP_I_NCMP)
+ 	    use_int++;
+ 	break;
+     case OP_SCMP:
+ 	numeric = 0;
+ 	break;
+     default:
+ 	return;
+     }
+ 
+     /* ...and finally terminating with OP_SCOPE ==> DONE */
+     ss = ss->op_next;
+     if (ss->op_type != OP_SCOPE || ss->op_next)
+         return;
+ 
+     /* success! */
+     if (numeric)
+ 	o->op_private |= OPpNUMERIC;
+     if (descending)
+ 	o->op_private |= OPpDESCENDING;
+     if (use_int && numeric)
+ 	o->op_private |= OPpINTEGER;
+ 
+     o->op_flags &= ~(OPf_STACKED | OPf_SPECIAL);
  }
  
  OP *
diff -cr perl5.004_56.dist/op.h perl5.004_56/op.h
*** perl5.004_56.dist/op.h	Thu Dec 11 04:40:11 1997
--- perl5.004_56/op.h	Fri Jan 23 11:03:11 1998
***************
*** 132,137 ****
--- 132,142 ----
  /* Private for OP_SORT, OP_PRTF, OP_SPRINTF, string cmp'n, and case changers */
  #define OPpLOCALE		64	/* Use locale */
  
+ /* Private for OP_SORT */
+ #define OPpNUMERIC		8	/* numeric comparison */
+ #define OPpDESCENDING		16	/* descending order */
+ #define OPpINTEGER		32	/* use integer */
+ 
  /* Private for OP_THREADSV */
  #define OPpDONE_SVREF		64	/* Been through newSVREF once */
  
diff -cr perl5.004_56.dist/pp_ctl.c perl5.004_56/pp_ctl.c
*** perl5.004_56.dist/pp_ctl.c	Thu Nov 27 09:12:20 1997
--- perl5.004_56/pp_ctl.c	Fri Jan 23 16:14:07 1998
***************
*** 36,41 ****
--- 36,47 ----
  static int sortcv _((const void *, const void *));
  static int sortcmp _((const void *, const void *));
  static int sortcmp_locale _((const void *, const void *));
+ static int sortncmp _((const void *, const void *));
+ static int dsortcmp _((const void *, const void *));
+ static int dsortncmp _((const void *, const void *));
+ static int sort_i_ncmp _((const void *, const void *));
+ static int dsort_i_ncmp _((const void *, const void *));
+ static int dsortcmp_locale _((const void *, const void *));
  static OP *doeval _((int gimme, OP** startop));
  
  static I32 sortcxix;
***************
*** 750,758 ****
      }
      else {
  	if (max > 1) {
  	    MEXTEND(SP, 20);	/* Can't afford stack realloc on signal. */
! 	    qsort((char*)(ORIGMARK+1), max, sizeof(SV*),
! 		  (op->op_private & OPpLOCALE) ? sortcmp_locale : sortcmp);
  	}
      }
      stack_sp = ORIGMARK + max;
--- 756,791 ----
      }
      else {
  	if (max > 1) {
+ 	    int cmp_ix;
+ 	    static int (*cmps[]) _((const void *, const void *)) = {
+ 		sortcmp,		/*  0 */
+ 		sortncmp,		/*  1 */
+ 		dsortcmp,		/*  2 */
+ 		dsortncmp,		/*  3 */
+ 		0,			/*  4 */
+ 		sort_i_ncmp,		/*  5 */
+ 		0,			/*  6 */
+ 		dsort_i_ncmp,		/*  7 */
+ 		sortcmp_locale,		/*  8 */
+ 		sortncmp,		/*  9 */
+ 		dsortcmp_locale,	/* 10 */
+ 		dsortncmp,		/* 11 */
+ 		0,			/* 12 */
+ 		sort_i_ncmp,		/* 13 */
+ 		0,			/* 14 */
+ 		dsort_i_ncmp,		/* 15 */
+ 	    };
+ 
+ 	    /* ever get the feeling you wish you were an engineer? */
+ 	    cmp_ix = (op->op_private &
+                       (OPpLOCALE|OPpINTEGER|OPpDESCENDING|OPpNUMERIC))
+ 		      >> 3;
+ 
+ 	    if (!cmps[cmp_ix])
+ 		croak("panic: sort");
+ 
  	    MEXTEND(SP, 20);	/* Can't afford stack realloc on signal. */
! 	    qsort((char*)(ORIGMARK+1), max, sizeof(SV*), cmps[cmp_ix]);
  	}
      }
      stack_sp = ORIGMARK + max;
***************
*** 1259,1264 ****
--- 1292,1333 ----
  sortcmp_locale(const void *a, const void *b)
  {
      return sv_cmp_locale(*(SV * const *)a, *(SV * const *)b);
+ }
+ 
+ static int
+ sortncmp(const void *a, const void *b)
+ {
+     return sv_ncmp(*(SV * const *)a, *(SV * const *)b);
+ }
+ 
+ static int
+ dsortcmp(const void *a, const void *b)
+ {
+     return sv_cmp(*(SV * const *)b, *(SV * const *)a);
+ }
+ 
+ static int
+ dsortncmp(const void *a, const void *b)
+ {
+     return sv_ncmp(*(SV * const *)b, *(SV * const *)a);
+ }
+ 
+ static int
+ sort_i_ncmp(const void *a, const void *b)
+ {
+     return sv_i_ncmp(*(SV * const *)a, *(SV * const *)b);
+ }
+ 
+ static int
+ dsort_i_ncmp(const void *a, const void *b)
+ {
+     return sv_i_ncmp(*(SV * const *)b, *(SV * const *)a);
+ }
+ 
+ static int
+ dsortcmp_locale(const void *a, const void *b)
+ {
+     return sv_cmp_locale(*(SV * const *)b, *(SV * const *) a);
  }
  
  PP(pp_reset)
diff -cr perl5.004_56.dist/proto.h perl5.004_56/proto.h
*** perl5.004_56.dist/proto.h	Wed Dec 17 08:16:35 1997
--- perl5.004_56/proto.h	Fri Jan 23 13:51:43 1998
***************
*** 514,522 ****
--- 514,524 ----
  void	sv_insert _((SV* bigsv, STRLEN offset, STRLEN len, char* little, STRLEN littlelen));
  int	sv_isa _((SV* sv, char* name));
  int	sv_isobject _((SV* sv));
+ I32	sv_i_ncmp _((SV* sv1, SV* sv2));
  STRLEN	sv_len _((SV* sv));
  void	sv_magic _((SV* sv, SV* obj, int how, char* name, I32 namlen));
  SV*	sv_mortalcopy _((SV* oldsv));
+ I32	sv_ncmp _((SV* sv1, SV* sv2));
  SV*	sv_newmortal _((void));
  SV*	sv_newref _((SV* sv));
  char*	sv_peek _((SV* sv));
diff -cr perl5.004_56.dist/sv.c perl5.004_56/sv.c
*** perl5.004_56.dist/sv.c	Wed Dec 10 05:11:05 1997
--- perl5.004_56/sv.c	Fri Jan 23 13:49:42 1998
***************
*** 2881,2886 ****
--- 2881,2916 ----
  }
  
  I32
+ sv_ncmp(register SV *a, register SV *b)
+ {
+     double n1 = a ? SvNV(a) : 0.0;
+     double n2 = b ? SvNV(b) : 0.0;
+ 
+     if (n1 == n2)
+         return 0;
+     else if (n1 < n2)
+         return -1;
+     else if (n1 > n2)
+         return 1;
+     else
+         return 0;
+ }
+ 
+ I32
+ sv_i_ncmp(register SV *a, register SV *b)
+ {
+     I32 i1 = a ? SvIV(a) : 0;
+     I32 i2 = b ? SvIV(b) : 0;
+ 
+     if (i1 == i2)
+         return 0;
+     else if (i1 < i2)
+         return -1;
+     else
+         return 1;
+ }
+ 
+ I32
  sv_cmp_locale(register SV *sv1, register SV *sv2)
  {
  #ifdef USE_LOCALE_COLLATE
diff -cr perl5.004_56.dist/t/op/sort.t perl5.004_56/t/op/sort.t
*** perl5.004_56.dist/t/op/sort.t	Thu Nov 27 09:13:09 1997
--- perl5.004_56/t/op/sort.t	Fri Jan 23 18:53:19 1998
***************
*** 2,8 ****
  
  # $RCSfile: sort.t,v $$Revision: 4.1 $$Date: 92/08/07 18:28:24 $
  
! print "1..21\n";
  
  sub backwards { $a lt $b ? 1 : $a gt $b ? -1 : 0 }
  
--- 2,8 ----
  
  # $RCSfile: sort.t,v $$Revision: 4.1 $$Date: 92/08/07 18:28:24 $
  
! print "1..29\n";
  
  sub backwards { $a lt $b ? 1 : $a gt $b ? -1 : 0 }
  
***************
*** 102,104 ****
--- 102,146 ----
      my @result = sort 'one', 'two';
  CODE
  print $@ ? "not ok 21\n# $@" : "ok 21\n";
+ 
+ ## exercise sort builtins... ($a <=> $b already tested)
+ 
+ @a = ( 5, 19, 1996, 255, 90 );
+ @b = sort { $b <=> $a } @a;
+ print ("@b" eq '1996 255 90 19 5' ? "ok 22\n" : "not ok 22\n");
+ print "# x = '@b'\n";
+ 
+ $x = join('', sort { $a cmp $b } @harry);
+ print ($x eq 'AbelCaincatdogx' ? "ok 23\n" : "not ok 23\n");
+ print "# x = '$x'\n";
+ 
+ $x = join('', sort { $b cmp $a } @harry);
+ print ($x eq 'xdogcatCainAbel' ? "ok 24\n" : "not ok 24\n");
+ print "# x = '$x'\n";
+ 
+ {
+     use integer;
+ 
+     @b = sort { $a <=> $b } @a;
+     print ("@b" eq '5 19 90 255 1996' ? "ok 25\n" : "not ok 25\n");
+     print "# x = '@b'\n";
+ 
+     @b = sort { $b <=> $a } @a;
+     print ("@b" eq '1996 255 90 19 5' ? "ok 26\n" : "not ok 26\n");
+     print "# x = '@b'\n";
+ 
+     $x = join('', sort { $a cmp $b } @harry);
+     print ($x eq 'AbelCaincatdogx' ? "ok 27\n" : "not ok 27\n");
+     print "# x = '$x'\n";
+ 
+     $x = join('', sort { $b cmp $a } @harry);
+     print ($x eq 'xdogcatCainAbel' ? "ok 28\n" : "not ok 28\n");
+     print "# x = '$x'\n";
+ }
+ 
+ # test sorting in non-main package
+ package Foo;
+ @a = ( 5, 19, 1996, 255, 90 );
+ @b = sort { $b <=> $a } @a;
+ print ("@b" eq '1996 255 90 19 5' ? "ok 29\n" : "not ok 29\n");
+ print "# x = '@b'\n";