Python server locks up

[Paul Rubin]

sturlamolden <sturlamolden at yahoo.no> writes:
> Python uses reference counting, not a generational GC like Java. A
> Python object is  destroyed when the refcount drops to 0. The GC only
> collects cyclic references. If you create none, there are no GC delays
> (you can in fact safely turn the GC off). Python does not share Java's
> nasty habit of having long GC delays.

If you drop the last reference to a large object (say a billion item
dictionary), then Python can pause for quite a long time freeing
all the constituents of that object.