Messages in this thread | | | Date | Fri, 24 Mar 2000 17:30:23 -0500 (EST) | From | "Mike A. Harris" <> | Subject | Endless overcommit memory thread. |
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I've been reading bits and pieces of this whole thread for a while now, and have finally come up with an opinion. I think that overcommit should be an option which defaults to off. Here's why:
If something allocates memory and then later goes to use it and dies, that is just plain wrong. If malloc says the memory is avail, and allocates it, then it should be there.
Define "allocate". I define it with respect to memory allocation as an app beign allocated or GIVEN a requested amount of memory to use, and guaranteed that that memory exists and is available for usage.
The reason for overcommit in the first place, and correct me if I'm wrong here - is because some applications allocate more memory than they really end up using.
If an application allocates a large amount of memory and then does not use it, is the app not broken as designed? I say FIX THE APPLICATION!
Can someone please explain to me how and why an app would allocate a large amount of memory and then not use it? Please give specific examples since I can't fathom the reason. I think an app that requests a lot of memory and then doesn't use it is BAD - broken as designed. I can see legitimate allocation of SMALL amounts of unused memory as speculation in time critical code, or for optimization, etc.. but not large amounts.
Please correct me if I'm wrong. Either way it should be tuneable and disableable.
I felt that since I had to download 20Mb of this thread this week that I'd throw in my $0.02 as well. ;o)
TTYL
-- Mike A. Harris Linux advocate Computer Consultant GNU advocate Capslock Consulting Open Source advocate
I've overclocked my keyboard interface. It's quite messy dipping my hands into the mineral oil, but *MAN* is my keyboard ever fast now! - Anonymous Coward
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