Benchmark: timing 50000 iterations of mybinary, use_grep... mybinary: 15 wallclock secs (15.23 usr + 0.03 sys = 15.26 CPU) @ 3276.54/s (n=50000) use_grep: 13 wallclock secs (12.83 usr + 0.04 sys = 12.87 CPU) @ 3885.00/s (n=50000) Rate mybinary use_grep mybinary 3277/s -- -16% useagrep 3885/s 19% --