Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ingr!crossgl
From: crossgl@ingr.com (Gordon Cross)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: malloc(3) vs. malloc(3x)
Keywords: ultrix, 4.3-tahoe
Message-ID: <3405@ingr.com>
Date: 9 Jan 89 15:09:35 GMT
References: <1418@leah.Albany.Edu>
Reply-To: crossgl@ingr.UUCP (Gordon Cross)
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, Al
Lines: 13

In article <1418@leah.Albany.Edu> rds95@leah.Albany.Edu (Robert Seals) writes:
>How much can a single malloc get? And why does Ultrix have 2 kinds of
>malloc, while 4.3-tahoe (the first one, I think) only has 1?

The difference between malloc(3C) and malloc (3X) is speed:  the latter version
runs on average about 9 times faster.  The algorithm used is optimized for
speed at the expense of memory efficiency.  If you are going to do LOTS of
mallocs, the 3X version is usually preferable.
-- 

Gordon Cross             UUCP:      uunet!ingr!crossgl     "all opinions are
111 Westminister Way     INTERNET:  crossgl@ingr.com        mine and not those
Madison, AL 35758        MA BELL:   (205) 772-7842          of my employer."