I was reading this weekend a book about overparenting (I’m the father of two) and came across SOS abbreviation used in parenting and education context. Immediately a thought struck me that SOS might also mean two sometimes related conditions:
May also mean Sinking Operating System (in production environment context).
Any other suggestions? 
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
The work for Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 2 is underway and it is natural to use the modular structure of a book heap again for its front cover. Now it is the partial reading list for this year (click to enlarge):
In addition to memory dump allegory the picture also symbolizes kernel / user space split of 4Gb virtual address space :-) Of course, this is just the base image and the book title will be put somewhere on it.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Analysis of computer memory snapshots (memory dumps) and their evolution is the domain of memoretics. Computer memory semiotics (memiotics) is the branch of memoretics that studies the interpretation of computer memory, its meaning, signs and symbols.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Looking at computer memory visual images combined with listening to the incredible nostalgic music composed by Oystein Sevag is highly recommended to relieve stress while immersing yourself in the vast depths of memory hierarchy. I really like “Painful Love” tracks. Is love and passion for programming painful?…
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Looking at memory dumps every day and writing about them has an unfortunate implication: every state of the world looks like a gigantic memory dump to me. Everything is memory and every state is memory dump. The current state of the world is an infinite (or an immense) number of memuons*. Infinite can be any cardinal number greater or equal to that of natural numbers. In any case we can say it is N bits where this number is either finite or ∞. Therefore we have 2N possible memory states (S). The set of possible transitions between them (S -> S) has the number of 2N ^ 2N elements. Which is the memory itself and we have transitions between its states too. Ad infinitum we have a limiting process from which arises the perceived flow of events. Anyway there is much to elaborate here. I’ll come back to this later.
(*) Memuon is an indivisible entity similar to a bit of information.
This is my current philosophy I’m dead serious.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
If you remember I promised to review this CD:
The first Memory Analysis CD album
Finally it arrived by post and here it is:
I’ve just finished listening to it. It is wonderful! Clearly belongs to my Music for Debugging collection. Here is my commentary (italics) on track titles:
1. Chameleon
It crashes then hangs then spikes then leaks. You never know what happens next…
2. Silence Before The Storm
Waiting for the problem to start dumping memory
3. Appearances
Multiple occurrences of the issue ease crash dump collection
4. Memory Analysis
Memory dump analysis activity
5. Voices From Heaven
It’s my blog full of crash dump analysis patterns
6. Figure In The Fog
It’s that DLL! I see it clearly!!!
7. Diamond Tear
Customer is happy
8. The Toy Soldier
WinDbg
9. Tears In Dragon’s Eyes
Operating system vendor is happy too
10. Forgotten Song
No pasaran (bugs)
11. Skies
We are debugging gods!
Enjoy :-)
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Crash dump analysis is a support activity. Therefore understanding software support business is important. I recently started abbreviating book titles for my personal book reading accounting purposes and here accidentally emerges the ASS abbreviation that reminds me every time that support guys cover “asses” of software engineers designing and developing software and expose their own “asses” when talking to customers :-)
I’m sorry if I offended someone here…
The book was on my shelf for 4 years and only today I got the message :-)
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
More books to come at the end of this summer. One of them is coffee table full-color book illustrated with beautiful visual images emerging from inherent modularized structure of modern free operating systems and applications. For general readers. Preliminary product details:
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Full-color special edition is available now. PART 6: Fun with Crash Dumps that features memory dump visualization pictures is the most impressive there. All screenshots and diagrams are color too. The book is thicker, heavier and much more expensive. Print on demand color books are very pricey. It is only available on Lulu because my Ingram distributor, Lightning Source, doesn’t print color books with more than 480 pages:
Memory Dump Analysis Anthology Collector’s Edition, Volume 1
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Just discovered this album from Polish band Gutter Sirens on Amazon:
I haven’t listened to it yet. Will post a review as soon as it arrives
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
