Sorting and Searching
Doghouse – Algorithms and Books
A look at the history of computer memory and a classic algorithm text.
When I started programming in 1969, even mainframe computers from IBM might have had only 1MB of main memory and two or three disk drives that were measured in hundreds of megabytes, with multitrack tape drives that would supplement that storage. Any type of parallelism in programming typically stressed the goal of keeping the data that you needed coming into main memory, while you were also trying to get the processed data out to "stable storage," either to a disk or directly to a magnetic tape.
Some of the first IBM computers I programmed used an operating system called MFT (Multiple Fixed Tasking) which had up to 16 "partitions" in memory, each of a fixed size set when the operating system was configured.
When a job was started by the operators, the Job Control Language (JCL) told the operating system how much main memory it would take, and the job was slotted into a memory slot that was large enough to hold it. If the creator of the JCL specified too much memory, that meant memory was wasted. Too small an amount and the program might not finish, or even start.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Nitrux 6.0 Now Ready to Rock Your World
The latest iteration of the Debian-based distribution includes all kinds of newness.
-
Linux Foundation Reports that Open Source Delivers Better ROI
In a report that may surprise no one in the Linux community, the Linux Foundation found that businesses are finding a 5X return on investment with open source software.
-
Keep Android Open
Google has announced that, soon, anyone looking to develop Android apps will have to first register centrally with Google.
-
Kernel 7.0 Now in Testing
Linus Torvalds has announced the first Release Candidate (RC) for the 7.x kernel is available for those who want to test it.
-
Introducing matrixOS, an Immutable Gentoo-Based Linux Distro
It was only a matter of time before a developer decided one of the most challenging Linux distributions needed to be immutable.
-
Chaos Comes to KDE in KaOS
KaOS devs are making a major change to the distribution, and it all comes down to one system.
-
New Linux Botnet Discovered
The SSHStalker botnet uses IRC C2 to control systems via legacy Linux kernel exploits.
-
The Next Linux Kernel Turns 7.0
Linus Torvalds has announced that after Linux kernel 6.19, we'll finally reach the 7.0 iteration stage.
-
Linux From Scratch Drops SysVinit Support
LFS will no longer support SysVinit.
-
LibreOffice 26.2 Now Available
With new features, improvements, and bug fixes, LibreOffice 26.2 delivers a modern, polished office suite without compromise.