X-Message-Number: 8172 Date: Sat, 03 May 1997 12:44:38 +0100 From: John de Rivaz <> Subject: Re: Limits to simulation PCs have virtual memory, but they still can use it all up. Windows95 starts flashing "low on resources" messages. I still think an infinite number of simulations cannot be run as no machine can have infinite memory, whether it is physical RAM, virtual memory or any other sort of memory. In article: <> writes: > From: "Perry E. Metzger" <> > > > From: John de Rivaz <> > > > > I am wondering whether I am ignorant as well. > > > > Surely if you have 32 MB free RAM in your computer and a simulation (of > > another computer) requires 8MB of overhead, if you run it once then you have > > 24MB to play with. If within the first simulation you run another which also > > requires 8MB then you have only 16 MB left. > > Nope. > > Modern machines don't use their RAM that way. They use virtual memory > subsystems -- MMUs are used to permit the machine to fool itself into > thinking that secondary storage is RAM, and to share executable code > and data transparently between processes. -- ***************************************** Sincerely, * Longevity Report * * http://www.longevb.demon.co.uk/lr.htm * John de Rivaz * Fractal Report * * http://www.longevb.demon.co.uk/fr.htm * * Music I like - see homepage * ***************************************** In the information age, sharing can increase world wealth enormously, because giving information does not decrease your information. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JohndeR Fast loading, very few slow pictures Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8172