On-the-fly garbage collection: an exercise in cooperation

Abstract

As an example of cooperation between sequential processes with very little mutual interference despite frequent manipulations of a large shared data space, a technique is developed which allows nearly all of the activity needed for garbage detection and collection to be performed by an additional processor operating concurrently with the processor devoted to the computation proper. Exclusion and synchronization constraints have been kept as weak as could be achieved; the severe complexities engendered by doing so are illustrated.

References

1. 1 Dijkstra, E.W. Guarded commands, nondeterminacy and formal derivation of programs. Comm. A CM 18, 8 (Aug. 1975), 453~;57.
2. 2 Gries, D. An exercise in proving parallel programs correct. Comm. ACM. 20, 12 (Dec. 1977), 921-930.
3. 3 Lamport, L. Proving the correctness of multiprocess programs. IEEE Trans. Software Eng. SE-3, 2 (March 1977), 125-143.
4. 4 Steele, Jr., G.L. Multiprocessing compactifying garbage collection. Comm. ACM 18, 9 (Sep. 1975), 495-508.
5. 5 Woodger, M. Private communications.

Index Terms

• Software and its engineering

  • Software organization and properties

    • Contextual software domains

      • Operating systems

        • Memory management

          • Garbage collection

        • Process management

          • Multiprocessing / multiprogramming / multitasking