Subject: lib/31113: want malloc option like 'A' but allow out-of-memory
To: None <lib-bug-people@netbsd.org, gnats-admin@netbsd.org,>
From: Ken Raeburn <raeburn@MIT.EDU>
List: netbsd-bugs
Date: 09/01/2005 00:29:00
>Number:         31113
>Category:       lib
>Synopsis:       want malloc option like 'A' but allow out-of-memory
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       low
>Responsible:    lib-bug-people
>State:          open
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Thu Sep 01 00:29:00 +0000 2005
>Originator:     Ken Raeburn
>Release:        NetBSD 2.0
>Organization:
	MIT
>Environment:
System: NetBSD venix.mit.edu 2.0 NetBSD 2.0 (GENERIC) #0: Tue Nov 30 21:04:03 UTC 2004 builds@build:/big/builds/ab/netbsd-2-0-RELEASE/alpha/200411300000Z-obj/big/builds/ab/netbsd-2-0-RELEASE/src/sys/arch/alpha/compile/GENERIC alpha
Architecture: alpha
Machine: alpha
>Description:

In lib/31112 I described how some programs, including apparently some
system programs, are written to handle running out of memory cleanly
(running a garbage collector, reducing cache, whatever), and may even
expect to run out of memory in normal operation.  Because of these
programs, 'A' is inappropriate for a system-wide malloc option a la
/etc/malloc.conf.

However, an option like 'A' that does not consider running out of
memory to be an error would probably be just fine for system-wide use.

>How-To-Repeat:
        N/A
>Fix:
        pick a new letter, add a new flag in malloc.c, etc