Timeline for Why (not) segmentation?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
6 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2019 at 10:52 | comment | added | doug65536 | Anyone that thinks segmentation is a good idea must not be old enough to remember how awful segmentation is. It's awful. Practically all C code ever written expects a flat address space. It is convenient to be able to look at a pointer and just see its address, not have to go dig into the segment base, assuming that is even possible, which it isn't in x86 protected mode segmentation, unless the kernel lets you see it somehow, most likely with a very expensive system call. Swapping isn't possible with segments, unless you swap out entire segments. Paging is far, far superior. | |
| Nov 12, 2017 at 22:17 | comment | added | ylluminate | No wonder I loved OS/2! What a sad loss of a truly valuable technology thanks to ignorance and marketing. | |
| Nov 12, 2017 at 1:14 | comment | added | GDP2 | Fantastic explanation of why segmentation is good. It's a terrible shame that it has fallen by the wayside. Here is an elaboration with more details for those who are curious to learn more. | |
| Dec 3, 2016 at 22:09 | comment | added | fante | @zvrba: What a superb explanation!!! Thanx for that. Now I have a doubt: Don't you think that INTEL could have won the big prize by making segments non overlapping and 4GB capable with help from paging? I mean, as I understood, "segmentation with paging" is only capable of addressing a max of 4GB virtual memory address space. And that's 'peanuts'!!! Imagine being able to have a Code, Stack, Data segments as big as 4GB each and non-overlapping or overlapping as you would need! And that would have been a major success at the time, without having to call for a full 64bit architecture as nowdays. | |
| Aug 11, 2011 at 16:42 | comment | added | Mr. Shickadance | This is why I left this opened. There is sure to be a few different takes on the issue... | |
| Aug 10, 2011 at 20:42 | history | answered | zvrba | CC BY-SA 3.0 |