[gclist] Re: Name that hypothesis

[Charles Fiterman]

> || What is the name of the following hypothesis?
> || 
> || 	"Most references in a system point backwards in time, i.e. from
> || 	 younger objects to older objects."
>
>We tested that hypothesis.  It is incorrect.
>
>Specifically, here is how some well-known C programs behave:

I see systematic sampling error here. The programs are all in C.

Pointers in a garbage collector will aim mostly forward, the collector
is older than the things it collects Or there are double linked lists. 
C is a non collected language which means programs have ad hoc colletors. 
Further C is not an OO language, people aren't building objects. Pointers 
live in static areas and point to stuff like strings which are allocated. 
Even with this the hypothesis doesn't look that bad given your data.

The thing you want to sample are Eiffel programs or List programs
anything where the user expected a collector.

Charles Fiterman	Geodesic Systems
Phone 312-728-7196	4745 N. Ravenswood Suite 111
Fax   312-728-6096	Chicago Il 60015
cef@geodesic.com

A computer language without garbage collection
  is like a city without garbage collection.