Sorting 1 million 8-decimal-digit numbers with 1 MB of RAM

Question

I have a computer with 1 MB of RAM and no other local storage. I must use it to accept 1 million 8-digit decimal numbers over a TCP connection, sort them, and then send the

Answer 1

What kind of computer are you using? It may not have any other "normal" local storage, but does it have video RAM, for example? 1 megapixel x 32 bits per pixel (say) is pretty close to your required data input size.

(I largely ask in memory of the old Acorn RISC PC, which could 'borrow' VRAM to expand the available system RAM, if you chose a low resolution or low colour-depth screen mode!). This was rather useful on a machine with only a few MB of normal RAM.