[CST-2] [CST-2]Advanced Algorithms - concurrent garbage collection

[Mark Seaborn]

Alvin <ah296@cam.ac.uk> wrote:

> Hello again
> 
> Just wondering whether anyone can give a good concise summary to the
> concurrent garbage collector mentioned in the Advanced Algorithms
> course.  I have tried to read the ACM paper, but it's possibly one
> of the most waffly, badly written thing I have ever come across.  I
> understand the data structures etc involved, just not certain of the
> whole marking process.  Well I was certain, until I tried to read
> the paper and got all confused and sleepy anyway.

Read Henry Baker's paper --
<http://linux.rice.edu/%7Erahul/hbaker/RealTimeGC.html>.  His GC
scheme is based on Dijkstra's, but isn't concurrent.  Baker's papers
are usually fairly easy to read.  Once you've read that, try reading
Dijkstra's paper again -- it might make more sense then.

-- 
         Mark Seaborn
   - mseaborn@bigfoot.com - http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~mrs35/ -

   ``America is at that awkward stage.  It's too late to work within
     the system, but too early to shoot the bastards'' -- Claire Wolfe