headsort
headsort: streaming sort + 2x faster than gnu sort
headsort sorts files by line and fields. Options can pick field order and etc. Mostly compatible with gnu sort(1).
It also has several sort algorithms to try.
In general headsort can sort in 1/2 the time sort(1) (mergesort) does in situations involving either pipes or mult column selection; less than 1/2 with both. Best case was about opposite that of sort(1)*.
NEW* hsort main algorithm speed improvement (applies to all; 27,29,31). Now faster than sort(1) (in all cases tested...