So I have a techie question and there are a ton of people out there
who will know better and can clarify. Correct me PLEASE.
I keep hearing things to the effect "some web page (anybody's where
there is some programmed animated element, even just scrolling status
bars) crashed my browser". But as far as I can tell, it's the result
of sloppy memory managers combined with browsers that ask for memory
addresses that simply aren't available. THAT will crash you.
Ie. if I leave my machine on for a few days, record some audio tracks
with some midi sequence tracks, convert it all to .au, compile some
thing to play it, scan pictures with Pshop, upload the files, check
it all out with a few browser versions. After a few tries, I will
crash. Try it again after restarting and it's fine. But this
limitation has increased steadily through the years as I've been
through it now on a dozen machines. (which is yet ANOTHER reason to
prefer Macs, they are at least 3 times more efficient about this
stuff)
The way computers SEEM to work (or rather - don't) is that the memory
manager doesn't always clear all the memory addresses in RAM. It
doesn't grab the biggest available chunk of addresses but the ones on
"top". If there is still residue from a previous program in a tiny
slot but up high, it can only use the small space above it, even when
there are more than ample MB's free and only the OS running.
So freezing and crashing happen when the machine can't perform some
basic low level function (like put up an error (2) message).
Restarting then has the effect of wiping all the addresses in RAM
back to zero. But since web technologies can request processors to
do all sorts of unexpected things, happens more often on web pages
that ask processors to do some math over and over.
Is this right though?
this heap/stack thing sounds like a half-baked idea. the
manufacturers are putting these grey doohickies on the shelf when
they still haven't ironed out the kinks. Let's just stop buying them
until they can make them right. Wouldn't that be so cool? Imagine
if quality won out over hype. Imagine spending as much on a computer
as a used car but this one only breaks down about 10 times as often
instead of 100.
judson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLASMA STUDII
http://plasmastudii.org
223 E 10th Street
PMB 130
New York, NY 10003
In a message dated 5/31/2002 11:06:20 AM Central Daylight Time,
office@plasmastudii.org writes:
> the
> manufacturers are putting these grey doohickies on the shelf when
> they still haven't ironed out the kinks.
Hey man this is like the most interesting topic ever. Go buy yourself a
burger and celebrate! It's on me.
Max
++
>Go buy yourself a burger and celebrate! It's on me.
thanks. I will wait to take you up on this one until next time we
are in the same town. We'll get a booth. You can woop my ass in
chess.
That hamburger database is coming slowly but gradually, but soon it
won't matter where on Earth we meet. So double thanks. with cheese.
Got a bunch of really good recommendations from all over the world.
THANKS everybody. I still have to do my part now but breath easy,
folks, I won't let you down. But I'll say it again…
CALL FOR BURGER JOINTS
Anybody with opinions, send em. email notes here or if you'd rather,
use the form at http://plasmastudii.org/hamburger/hamburgerF.html
(I'll give it an easier URL some other day) Where to get the best
burger (no strict definition) in your burgh. (Please note, this is
NOT a clever artsy idea, but (hopefully) will prove to be a
convenient way to find some practical info when travelling.)
Deadline: RIGHT NOW!!!
The net.
"Use it or lose it"
(I think some grade school gym teacher used to say that but I steal
it for everything all the time)
and don't forgit to tell em "Max" sent ya.
judson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLASMA STUDII
http://plasmastudii.org
223 E 10th Street
PMB 130
New York, NY 10003