Is 4GB enough to run parallel linux?

[keviny]

Hi,

I've just got a MBA(13/4/128) for home using, it works very well.

But then I also wanna try to make it works at work and my work needs a Linux compiling environment.

So here's my question. Is 4 GB enough to run parallel linux? Just for compiling using gcc, make, etc.

Thanks.

 

[ZBoater]

Yes.

 

[keviny]

Yes.

Thanks.

 

[silverf1re]

Hi,

I've just got a MBA(13/4/128) for home using, it works very well.

But then I also wanna try to make it works at work and my work needs a Linux compiling environment.

So here's my question. Is 4 GB enough to run parallel linux? Just for compiling using gcc, make, etc.

Thanks.

will it work? ya but it will be tight. ya. IDK how much resources linux takes up sorry.

 

[ZBoater]

It will run fine. I ran Ubuntu and Windows 7 at the same time using Parallels with 4GB. It was fine.

 

[AXs]

More tha enough, yes.

Most people won't even hit 4GB of RAM usage for simple daily real world functioning.

4GB DDR3 is plenty... You will likely on be short handed in 3-5 years when default OS's and apps become more taxing. You're completely fine for the next couple years.

As long as you're not making music, or editing hd videos. Good luck.

 

[keviny]

will it work? ya but it will be tight. ya. IDK how much resources linux takes up sorry.

Thanks for the reply. I'm sure 8GB will work perfectly good. It's just I don't want to make over-than-needs budget for a maybe 2-3 years using computer.

PS: Sorry about my terrible English.

----------

It will run fine. I ran Ubuntu and Windows 7 at the same time using Parallels with 4GB. It was fine.

Thanks again! Haha

----------

More tha enough, yes.

Most people won't even hit 4GB of RAM usage for simple daily real world functioning.

4GB DDR3 is plenty... You will likely on be short handed in 3-5 years when default OS's and apps become more taxing. You're completely fine for the next couple years.

As long as you're not making music, or editing hd videos. Good luck.

Thanks, you just gave me more confidence.

 

[scaredpoet]

Do you need a specific linux environment for what you're trying to do? Or would any generic POSIX environment work?

I ask, because if you're not compiling for a specific linux distro, then you might not even need to run a separate linux installation. You've already got UNIX under OS X. If you install Xcode developer tools, you can use make and gcc, using the Terminal.

In any case, 4GB is definitely more than enough. Linux can be made to run very lightweight if need be, and there are plenty of web servers and other production linux installs using as little as 512MB of RAM.

It's the apps on the OS X side you need to worry more about, as they tend to be more the memory hogs.

 

[keviny]

Do you need a specific linux environment for what you're trying to do? Or would any generic POSIX environment work?

I ask, because if you're not compiling for a specific linux distro, then you might not even need to run a separate linux installation. You've already got UNIX under OS X. If you install Xcode developer tools, you can use make and gcc, using the Terminal.

In any case, 4GB is definitely more than enough. Linux can be made to run very lightweight if need be, and there are plenty of web servers and other production linux installs using as little as 512MB of RAM.

It's the apps on the OS X side you need to worry more about, as they tend to be more the memory hogs.

Thanks for the reply!

Currently I'm working on some LTE related development. And I always need to make some binaries for Linux(Compiling and Run) as well as MPC(Compiling only). And yes, normal Linux environment will work. But as I know the gcc come with xcode is specialized for Darwin type, isn't it?

After some research from internet, I realize that it maybe too complicated for me to setup a cross-compile environment on OSX since I'm not very professional. So I chose to run a VM instead. Any further suggestion?

 

[robvas]

OS X is a long way from Linux.

I'd use VirtualBox (Free!) and create a 1GB VM for Linux.

 

[scaredpoet]

Thanks for the reply!

Currently I'm working on some LTE related development. And I always need to make some binaries for Linux(Compiling and Run) as well as MPC(Compiling only). And yes, normal Linux environment will work. But as I know the gcc come with xcode is specialized for Darwin type, isn't it?

it's definitely not binary compatible with linux, so yes you'll need to be compiling in the same environment as the production deployment.

So I chose to run a VM instead. Any further suggestion?

Virtualbox as suggested above is a good start. It's free.

 

[AXs]

NP... save the money towards upgrading your Mac.

You'd rather have a 2016 MBA over a 2013 MBA 8gb anyways!

DDR4 is coming out about next year, and should be in Macs latest 2015... keep that in mind too!

 

[ZBoater]

NP... save the money towards upgrading your Mac.

You'd rather have a 2016 MBA over a 2013 MBA 8gb anyways!

DDR4 is coming out about next year, and should be in Macs latest 2015... keep that in mind too!

The 2017 MBA is the one to hold out for...