This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Java Buzz by dion. Original Post: Rewritting malloc for that extra bit of performance Feed Title: techno.blog(Dion) Feed URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/dion Feed Description: blogging about life the universe and everything tech Latest Java Buzz Posts Latest Java Buzz Posts by dion Latest Posts From techno.blog(Dion)

A long time ago, I was leaked the codebase of a popular id software game, both before optimization, and after.

When you ended up seeing was:

• prototype: mainly C/C++, with some assembler
• production: assembler all over. all over.

• They also used a special malloc. I remember at the time thinking: "they freaking rewrote malloc?". In fact the special version came from a Finnish group of uber-hackers, and even that was customized for certain corner cases when it made sense.

  This all came to light when I read tcmalloc success which discusses Domas Mituzas of MySQL using tcmalloc (an open source Google perftool) to debug some nasty memory leaks.

  Nice. I hope I don't never have to use it ;)