> > [ malloc() instead of machdep:valloc() ]
> 

> Part of the problem is a known alpha bug: maxusers can't be much
> greater than about 8, because otherwise the process page tables
> overflow the kernel map. Until this is fixed (i.e., pmap.old.c is
> replaced) this is problem area for port-alpha, although I suspect that
> malloc'ing the entire buffer cache would be a small thing compared to
> the (sparse) page table space.


I'm not suggesting malloc'ing the entire buffer cache, nor, at this
moment, using malloc() for the buffers themselves (ie. the
`struct buffer's).

The other valloc'ed things are relatively small: around 8K for the
callout queue, and about 30K for the collective SYSV stuff.

-pk