Java and linux

Question

I read the followig blurb on a website (http://rimuhosting.com/howto/memory.jsp):
Resolving: High Java Memory Usage
Java processes can often consume more memory than any other application running on a server.
Java processes can be passed a -Xmx option. This controls the maximum Java memory heap size. It is important to set a limit on the heap size, otherwise the heap will keep increasing until you get out of memory errors on your VPS (resulting in the Java process - or even some other, random, process - dying.
Is the second paragraph accurate?

Answer 1

I do not think you are correct, at least on the Linux
platform. I don't think there is a default max heap
in Linux, neccesarily...
Does anyone have any info on this? I have spent a
great deal of time researching, to no avail.It is correct information. Also, you are incorrect when you say it does not apply to Java 5. If you had bothered to read the information I directed you to, you would have found the following:
-Xmxn
Specify the maximum size, in bytes, of the memory allocation pool. This value must a multiple of 1024 greater than 2MB. Append the letter k or K to indicate kilobytes, or m or M to indicate megabytes. The default value is 64MB. Examples:
-Xmx83886080
-Xmx81920k
-Xmx80m
On Solaris 7 and Solaris 8 SPARC platforms, the upper limit for this value is approximately 4000m minus overhead amounts. On Solaris 2.6 and x86 platforms, the upper limit is approximately 2000m minus overhead amounts. On Linux platforms, the upper limit is approximately 2000m minus overhead amounts.
I was fully aware of the various conditions that alter the answer, including the server class machine variation. If you had properly asked the question, giving the specifics that you had, you would have received an answer that fit the specifics; you received an answer that fit the question, and a reference to more information.
Please learn how to ask questions correctly, and also research before you argue about the answer - it appears you are more interested in arguing than in the answer. Server class information http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/guide/vm/server-class.html