> The answer isn't obvious, and isn't always the same.  If you run out of
> memory as part simply because there isn't enough (say, you want to fit
> 100000 routes in memory that will only hold 80000), restarting is not
> very helpful - you just get to the same point again, and crash again.

Couldn't the router send out an error message before restarting, as the
restart is in this case rather organized? Then it wouldn't remain unnoticed
why there was a restart. 

> If instead you run out of memory because some coding error results in a
> slow leak that uses up memory in 2 months, then restarting permits
> relatively normal operation for another 2 months... 

And again, an error message could show that event.

In any case I think a helpful error indication when possible and some kind
of defined behavior is usually preferable to just executing random code.
And since most embedded devices have startup code that makes sure they are
in a safe operating state, restarting in case anything odd happens seems to
be the safe thing to do. (That's why it is this what the watchdog timer
usually does... so why not apply the same line of thought for other
irregularities?)

Gerhard
_______________________________________________
http://www.piclist.com
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist