Memory and swapping question

[Christian Tismer]

Hi folks,

due to a question which came up in the tutor list, I'd like
to ask if somebody can explain the following:

(This is true for Python 1.5 under Win98 and Suse Linux at least)

Remember the size of your machine's main memory in MB.
On my machine, this is 64.

Start a fresh Python session with not many other tasks
active at the same time.

Now, divide the number by 16 and multiply by a million.

>>> my_mb = 64
>>> big = my_mb / 16 * 1000000
>>> big
4000000

(16 is a good guess for one integer entry in a list:
4 bytes the pointer, 12 bytes the object).

Now, create a list of numbers with the half of big,
and count the seconds. Afterwards, delete the list
and again count the seconds.

>>> x=range(big/2)
>>> del x
>>> 

This will be quite fast, and the deletion will be somewhat
faster than the creation.

Now for the big WHY?
Do the same with big.

>>> x=range(big)
>>> del x
>>> 

On my system, creation takes about 10 times as for big/2,
this is ok. But the del takes at least three times as long.
Besides the fact that integers are never really disposed but
build up a freelist, why is deletion so much slower now?

cheers - chris

-- 
Christian Tismer             :^)   <mailto:tismer at appliedbiometrics.com>
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