Heap Fragmentation

[Thomas Wang]

Is heap fragmentation in C a problem or non-problem?

I asked this question because I am in the middle of doing a garbage collector
for C++.  If heap fragmentation is not a problem, then I need not move the
heap objects to compact the heap.

Are there any estimate of the space wasted, or performance decrease due
to heap fragmentations?

 -Thomas Wang ("This is a fantastic comedy that Ataru and his wife Lum, an
                invader from space, cause excitement involving their neighbors."
                  - from a badly translated Urusei Yatsura poster)

                                                     ttwang at polyslo.calpoly.edu