[ILUG] Out of Memory

[David Murphy]

Quoting <Pine.WNT.4.21.0003061624540.232-100000 at 8938cs820195.ied.cpqcorp.net>
by Paul Jakma <paul.jakma at compaq.com>:

> well, it's not a bug in linux per se, it's just linux sails a lot
> closer to the wind viz VM allocation than other OS's. And therefore
> linux gets caught out more often than other OS's, but it's not an OS
> bug, it's an OS design compromise

A compromise that renders it unsuitable for real work.

> but that caveat exists in all OS's that allow overcommit. And that
> includes default installs of solaris and T64 and IRIX. 

As I'm sure I've pointed out before, and Kate certainly has, I haven't
seen Solaris lock solid when it runs low on RAM.

I personally don't care if OS Foo overcommits, undercommits, or has
unresolved commitment issues.  I just want to be sure it's not going
to lock up if it runs out of RAM at 3am. I've seen Linux do it too
many times to trust it. I've seen Linux fans make too many excuses for
its egregiously brokenness to trust their judgement.

> (of course t64 and probably solaris too need tonnes of swap aswell
> if you configure them for restrictive memory mgt...)

Solaris runs happily swapless out of the box. Solaris, out of the box,
doesn't lock up when it runs out of RAM. Tru64 I can't speak for.

-- 
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