>> On port-mac68k, I've seen people with 8 MB systems boot fine
>> (although that's a 32-bit system).
>
> NetBSD/vax can run nicely on a 2MB machine :-)

I have a ns32k box that can run a BSD-based OS in 0.75 MB.
It runs okay in 1 MB and nicely in 3.

I have another ns32k box that runs NetBSD in 4MB and
nicely in 16.

My alphas page and swap like crazy with 32MB.  If we believe
ps(1) output, alpha binaries need 10x the memory that ns32k
does (both running NetBSD).  I routinely see rn(1) with a VSS of
50MB!!! (rn-classic, not the X11 version)

Now I know that ns32k is one of the most efficient architectures,
that the alpha is RISC and 64 bits and has a larger page size, but
10 times as large???  Something seems wrong here?

Anyone know why the alpha is such a memory pig?