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From: oconnor@sunray.steinmetz (Dennis Oconnor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Memory Management
Message-ID: <7958@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Nov-87 09:33:34 EST
Article-I.D.: steinmet.7958
Posted: Tue Nov 24 09:33:34 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Nov-87 01:11:31 EST
References: <8711201906.AA25134@cory.Berkeley.EDU> <1406@atkins.munsell.UUCP>
Sender: root@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP
Reply-To: oconnor@sunray.UUCP (Dennis Oconnor)
Organization: General Electric CRD, Schenectady, NY
Lines: 36

In article <...> klm@atkins.UUCP (Kevin [...] McBride) writes:
>In article <...> dillon@CORY.BERKELEY.EDU (Matt Dillon) writes:
>>    Virtual memory != EachTaskGetsItsOwnAddressSpace
>>    As far as the Amiga goes, the only compatible solution is a Linear
>>virtual address space over the entire system.
>
>This seems like a perfectly rational and compatible way of doing VM on
>the Amiga. 
>I like it!  I like it!  I wish I had thought of it!

Well, on the one hand, this means you are still limited to 8.5MB of
memory. Doesn't it? So why bother? Just buy the 8MB and have real speed.
What does 8MB cost, anyway? $1500 ?

OF course, this does leave a wonderful hardware opportunity : the
Virtual Memory RAM Expander. Take some small amount of a RAM ( like a
megabyte ), a cheap small hard disk, a small amount of CAM ( say 256
words, each 12 bits wide ), a small processor ... put it all in a SOTS
box ( just kidding? :-) with it's own power and ... transparent virtual
memory ! Looks like just RAM to the Amiga, but is really mainly Disk!
This would really pay with a 68020 : use a really big disk. "My Amiga
thinks it has 470MByte of RAM ...". Yow!

Other bits : who out there is familiar with Symbolics Lisp Machines
mechanisms for Wrold Loads and Saves? With this setup, you could do
that. Imagine everything you had in memory at powerdown being there
again when you powered up ( or as much as you want, anyway ) as if
you'd never touched the off switch. And VERY non-volatile.

Kinda the opposite of a RAM disk, isn't it? A disk RAM. :-)


--
	Dennis O'Connor 	oconnor@sungoddess.steinmetz.UUCP ??
				ARPA: OCONNORDM@ge-crd.arpa
        "If I have an "s" in my name, am I a PHIL-OSS-IF-FER?"