From: Chuck Remes <cremes.devlist@...>
Date: 2010-08-18T23:22:58+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby GC question (MRI, JRuby, etc)


On Aug 18, 2010, at 8:58 AM, Robert Klemme wrote:

> 2010/8/17 Chuck Remes <cremes.devlist@mac.com>:
>> My basic understanding of the garbage collectors in use by the various Ruby runtimes is
>> that they all search for objects from a "root" memory object. If an object cannot be reached
>> from this root, then it is collected.
> 
> There is a small error in the wording above.  While the issue has been
> explained already I want to stress this point because this is a
> mistake many new to GC make and it explains some weird effects that
> special tests show.  It should have read
> 
> If an object cannot be reached from this root, then it _can be_ collected.
> 
> Small change, big difference. :-)

Ha! Yes, quite true. Depending upon the GC algo in use, some objects may never be collected even though they are eligible for collection.

cr