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Re: Alternative to a laptop?



So the mac OS uses no RAM? (steal, or whatever).  This is surprising. Does it just use the hard drive as memory for running system processes, etc?
 
The article says: "There is a 2GB limit, however -- 2GB per process. So any single application (again, barring something like Intel's PAE extensions) is limited to 2GB."
 
So this isn't a bad thing necessarily ("per app" being the key phrase), especially if I am running my audio app (e.g, max/msp) + a separate software app that controls my audio interface (mixer DSP, etc), or perhaps a looping app as a standalone app, plus my audio interface software, and any other supporiting apps.  What performance orientated audio app is going to use more than 2GB of RAM? Man, that would be crazy, eh?
 
I think everythig is going to be all cool with a macbook pro and 4GB of RAM. Until someone says that it is absolutely conclusive that 4GB will no no good whatsoever when running my monster sofware performance system, I have no issues with paying the extra for that 2GB of RAM.

Kris
 
 
Here is the most succinct post I can find on the subject.  I was a little mixed up - it's not that 32-bit OS's can't see all 4GB, but at least with PC architecture, about a gig of that 4 gigs will be assigned to system level devices (video card, PCI bus, etc), leaving you with less than 4GB.  In addition, 32-bit apps can't access more than 2GB each without PAE (which is a bad idea for an audio machine).

http://dubiousquality.blogspot.com/2007/08/addressable-memory-in-32-bit-operating.html

On a Macbook Pro, this RAM-shortage might not be a problem - WITH THE NEW Santa Rosa platform.  It is definitely a well-documented problem with all other Mac/Intel platforms.  The new "36-bit" chip allows access to 4GB, and presumably (this is where I'm not positive) OSX can really use it all because it doesn't do what Windoze does (steal some of it).  In addition, 32-bit Mac apps can still only access 2GB each.

Hope that helps.

Doug