Python embedded in C & memory releasing

[John J. Lee]

Alex Martelli <aleax at aleax.it> writes:
> John J. Lee wrote:
[...]
> > On almost all OSes, processes hold on to all memory that has been
> > allocated by the OS.  Memory released by a process can only be reused
> > *by that same process*.  The OS only gets it back when the process
> > exits.
> 
> This is not true any more these days!!!  Consider the following program:
[...]
>   PID TTY      STAT   TIME  MAJFL   TRS   DRS  RSS %MEM COMMAND
> 32606 pts/6    T      0:00     73     1  1330  276  0.0 ./a.out
[...]
> 32606 pts/6    T      0:00     82     1  2362  320  0.0 ./a.out
[...]
> 32606 pts/6    T      0:00     82     1  1334  316  0.0 ./a.out
[...]

Well, you live and learn.  :-)


John