[gclist] Garbage collection FAQ.

[Charles Fiterman]

> > Should we have a garbage collection FAQ. It could also become part of
> > other FAQs on the net. What should the topics be?
> > 
> > Algorithms.
> Basic:
	I can write sections on the basic algorithms. Henry Baker thinks
	reference counting can be revived will anyone take that question.
	I have a weird mark-dont-sweep I'll put in because it illustrates
	more advanced notions.
>   Reference counting.
>   Mark-and-sweep.
>   Copying-compacting.
> 
> Less basic:
>   Conservative collection.
	I can do this and have some really strange ideas I'd like to add.
	We also have Hans Boehm in our group.
>   Deferred reference counting.
>   Generational.
>   Baker's real time algorithm.
>   Appel-Ellis-Li "real time" concurrent.
>   Bartlett's conservative-compacting collector.
>   Treadmill collector.
	I've done this as C++ wrapper classes.
>   Goldberg's tagless collection
> 
> Assorted stuff:
>   Blacklisting in a conservative collector.
>   Hardware Support (Kelvin Nilsen's and others).
>   One-bit reference counts.
> 
> > OS Support.
>   Zeroing out memory (I take it for granted, it need
>     not be the case, especially on PCs).
>   User-supplied fault handlers?
> 
> Compiler support? (as opposed to "uncooperative environments" below)
>   Lack of compiler support.
>   Not hiding pointers.
>   Nulling out dead pointer variables.
>   Identifying pointers.
>   Avoiding heap allocation.
> 
> Folk myths?
>   "Optimal" strategies that fail miserably.
> 
> > Thread Support.
> 
> > Garbage Collection for distributed objects.
I have an idea how this can work when some processors may not
be up.
> 
> > Garbage Collection in uncoopertive environments.
> 
> > Who will volunteer for various segments? 
> > Who will run the show? 
> 
> I'd be interested in helping.  Obviously, I've got strong opinions, 
> but I've also been studying GC in "more conventional" (that is, less 
> functional) languages for about ten years, on and off.
Take a few topics.


Who will take the executive job. I'm emotionally unsuited and
a poor writer. So I'm out.