🚀 go-pugleaf

Well, awhile ago I was asking for input regarding 3rd party VMM's for
Windows and the response was quite underwhelming.  I received some
requests for a summary, but nothing from anyone who is actually using
such a product.

Anyway, we were right up against the selector limit for GlobalAlloc and
looked into two products.  I'll summarize for y'all the results of our
experience:

The first product was VMData from PocketSoft, Inc.  We received literature
on the product and I talked with an engineer regarding the details of
using their memory allocator in a C++ environment.

The second product (and the one we settled on) was SmartHeap from
MicroQuill, Inc. (formerly OptiMem from Applegate Software).  One of
the members of our group had previously worked with someone who used this
product and swore by it.  SmartHeap also provided replacements for operator
new and operator delete which we would have had to do on our own with
VMData (a trivial task as it turns out, but every little bit counts).

We are now using SmartHeap and it has solved our problems.  It took, perhaps
3 or 4 man-days to switch over to it.  Most of that time was due to the
intricacies of C++ and construction of static objects.  I am quite sure that
the other product, VMData, would have worked just as well and you shouldn't
treat our selection of SmartHeap as an indication that VMData is in anyway
inferior.

Both products provide new memory allocators for arbitrary heap allocation.
SmartHeap provides both an ANSI compliant malloc/realloc/free as well as
the ability to use their API directly.  VMData only provides their API, with
replacement malloc packages perhaps available in a future release.

Both products provide new memory allocators for fixed size heap allocation
(memory pools).  These are zero overhead, fast allocators that are especially
ideal for use in overriding operator new and delete on a class by class
basis for C++ code.

Both products provide debugging capability; trapping invalid pointer use,
double freeing, unfreed memory, etc.

For more information, here are the addresses and phone numbers of the
two companies (both are also available through the Programmer's Shop):


SmartHeap
MicroQuill Software Publishing, Inc.
4900 25th Ave. NE #206
Seattle, WA.  98105
(206)525-8218


VMData
PocketSoft, Inc.
P.O. Box 821049
Houston, TX.  77282
1-800-826-8086
1-714-460-5600



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Tom Brown               |  "'ow d'you know 'e's a king?
PE Nelson Systems       |            'cause 'e 'asn't got shit all over 'im!"
twbrown@pe-nelson.com   |                    Monty Python and the Holy Grail
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