This new article on the offical AmigaOS 4 website, explains the classic memory alloction system and how the new slab allocation (object cache) system in impoves memory allocation.

"Back in the old days of the original AmigaOS, the system used to allocate areas of unused memory to new tasks was pretty simple. The size and position of blocks of free memory were kept in a list, and when memory was needed the system would traverse this list until it found a block that was sufficiently large. This block was then split, one part returned by the allocator for use, while the other part (whatever part of the block wasn't needed) was left in the free list. This method served its purpose well enough at the time, but with the increased demands of modern computing - and of course our desire to bring this new version of the Operating System to the cutting edge - AmigaOS4.0 has introduced a better way of doing things."

Read the rest here.

However, it's perfect for the geeks, though basically nothing but a pre-taste. A 10-page article would have been better  ;-)

Well, it seems he's writing about the solution itself.

I was writing about the length of the article. Whether or not the approach is good is another topic. I merely came with a statement, that a longer article would be better.

EDIT: Better here is in the meaning: Better because it would reveal more of the approach taken. I'd like to get much more detailed information.

Back in the old days of the original AmigaOS, the system used to allocate areas of unused memory to new tasks was pretty simple.

This isn't even good english. The sentence doesn't make sense? "was pretty simple"? WHAT was pretty simple?

Shouldn't it be something like:

"the WAY THE / SOLUTION TO HOW THE / WHATEVER THE LIKE system used to allocate areas of unused memory to new tasks was pretty simple.

I'm no professional in english, apparently, but that just looked plain ugly.

D'oh ! Dratted IE5 being as slow as molasses caused me to DP...

...double post that is !

For the technoids who would like that 10+ page explanation, read here.... Slab Allocator - Sun Systems

This isn't even good english. The sentence doesn't make sense? "was pretty simple"? WHAT was pretty simple?

It may seem a bit of a "run-on", but legal. Dissecting you find that "the system" was pretty simple. I can see how it could be a tough read though.


Plaz

@ dylansmrjo

See the links at the bottom of the third page. They describe the system in much more details.

Hm. Okay, the way it was written made me misinterpret the sentence.

"the system". So they refer to "the system used" as simple. But then I would have written it like "the system used, to allocate areas of unused memory to new tasks, was pretty simple.". Without using "," before and after "to allocate areas of unused memory to new tasks" I don't really find it an easy read.

So... "was pretty simple" is now what determines how "the system used to" should be interpreted. Since it on the first read could easly be interpreted as someting like "(once upon a time) the system did allocate memory", until reaching the end of the sentince, instead of "the system (that was) used to" I would still say that it is a rather vague sentence. I think at least SOME of my past english teachers would agree with me...  :lol: