VDict mobile



programming An error in a program's dynamic store
allocation logic that causes it to fail to reclaim discarded
memory, leading to eventual collapse due to running out of
memory. Also (especially at CMU) called core leak. These
problems were severe on older machines with small, fixed-size
address spaces, and special "leak detection" tools were
commonly written to root them out.
With the advent of virtual memory, it is unfortunately
easier to be sloppy about wasting a bit of memory (although
when you run out of virtual memory, it means you've got a
*real* leak!).
(1995-02-17)