Short example program to show linux memory allocation behaviour (memory is only allocated on first access, in this example program after you press enter) Test with: gcc -O0 -Wall static_mem_test.c -o static_mem_test && /usr/bin/time --verbose ./static_mem_test

static_mem_test.c

#include <unistd.h>

static char staticfoo[80*1024*1024]; // = {"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"};

#define WRITE(Str) write(1, Str, sizeof(Str))

int main()
{   
    char in;
    int i;
    for(i=0; i<sizeof(staticfoo); i++) {
        in = staticfoo[i];
        if(in != 0)
            return(1);
    }
    WRITE("pause...");
    read(0, &in, 1);
    for(i=0; i<sizeof(staticfoo); i++)
        staticfoo[i] = 0;
    WRITE("pause...");
    read(0, &in, 1);
    return 0;
}