gistfile1.rb

$more xortime.rb

#!/usr/bin/env ruby
#technion@lolware.net

require 'absolute_time'

ITER = 100000000

i = 1

puts AbsoluteTime.realtime {
    (ITER).times do
        i = i ^ 49
    end
}

i = 'a'
puts AbsoluteTime.realtime {
    (ITER).times do
        i = (i.ord ^ 'b'.ord).chr
    end
}

$ ./xortime.rb
13.805093835107982
52.14712872263044