"Efficiency" of omniORB, ORBs in general?

[John Connett]

I've suggested to colleagues that I might use omniORB to prototype a
remote call interface to a library defined by a C language interface.
There are around 140 calls of varying complexity.

The reaction is that "ORBs are inefficient" and that it would be better
to use a socket based interface with hand written marshalling /
unmarshalling code ...

I'm very new to the CORBA approach and lack the experience to either
confirm or refute their suggestion.  However, I have found IDL a useful
means of specifying an interface and the mechanically generated
marshalling / unmarshalling code also seems very useful!

Any one on this list care to comment?

Can you point me to any references or other information on the
efficiency or otherwise of ORBs v. hand crafted code?

Thanks in anticipation
--
John Connett (jrc@art.co.uk)