Re: [Caml-list] Array 4 MB size limit

[Brian Hurt <bhurt@spnz.org>]

On Fri, 19 May 2006, Jozef Kosoru wrote:

> Yes. 32-bit x86 platform is not going away anytime soon. Given that 512M
> RAM is now standard and 1G RAM is very common for an average PC

This is what boggles my imagination.  The combination of obstinate 
adherence to a limited platform (x86-32) in the same breath as a 
recognition that we are approaching the limitations of that architecture. 
It's the 640K limit all over again.

And no, segments will not help the situation.  Every single process is 
limited to 4G of address space, period.  Read the Intel CPU docs.  With 
reasonable amounts of virtual memory we're well above that already- and 
we're approaching that with real memory.

Now, I realize the core reasons for the delay in moving to 64-bits are 
industry wide.  Intel's Itanium fiasco delayed Intel introducing a 64-bit 
chip at least 7 years.  And Microsoft seems to be incapable of releasing a 
new OS- 32-bit or 64-bit.  But that, I think, is the core of the problem- 
Ocaml's array limit is just one of many symptoms.

And that's my point- we should be looking to fix the underlying problem, 
not looking to patch the symptoms.  Because often times patching the 
symptoms and not addressing the core problem simply makes the whole 
situation worse- the underlying problem simply shows up in new ways, and 
the fix for the specific symptom often causes new problems.

Brian