Can UNIX pipe connections be compiled?

[Dana Eckart]

Does there exist a piece of software (or is it even possible) to compile
a pipe?  In particular, suppose you had 

	ls -l | fgrep "Dec" | cut -f 4

is there anyway to compile the above pipeline so that the pieces can
communicate more quickly.  I am looking for a general solution, not
one that works only for the above example.

The question arises because I have constructed some small programs which 
become VERY slow when piped together.  It appears that if I can get around 
the slow speed of standard (character based) i/o that things will be MUCH 
faster.

Although I suspect I am stuck (unless I rewrite my code - combining the
pieces programs into a single program), perhaps some kind netter will be
able to save me a great deal of grief.

Thanks in advance...

J Dana Eckart     INTERNET: dana at rucs.runet.edu
                     SNAIL: P.O. Box 10865/Blacksburg, VA  24062-0865