On the Garbage Collection of Block Structured Memories,
Abstract
This paper surveys the various techniques that have been proposed and used for garbage collection. The various solutions are described and their suitability for use on a system wide basis, in a computer with a block structured memory, is discussed. Computers with capability based addressing Fabry74 are examples of such systems. A comprehensive review of early garbage collection techniques is given in Knuth73, while Cohen81 provides a more recent survey. This paper differs in that it considers the usefulness of the algorithms when applied system wide to a computer with a block structured memory. Most garbage collectors have been designed for use in applications running on time shared computers. Here the various users of the system are quite independent, so the garbage collection of one user does not affect the others. Also the computer's virtual memory system provides separate memories for each user. Therefore if one user allocates all the free memory available to him, this will not affect the free storage of another user. The purpose of this survey is to find suitable candidates or to identify techniques that could be used to construct a new garbage collector which is suitable.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA156558
Entities
People
- S. R. Wiseman
Organizations
- Royal Signals and Radar Establishment