[Tutor] Why does counting to 20 million stress my computer?

[Dick Moores]

I was just fooling around writing a script (below) that would show how 
fast my computer can count. I was pleased with the speed, but dismayed 
that counting to a mere 15 or 20 million reduced available memory from 
about 300 to close to zero, forcing a reboot; and sometimes upon 
rebooting I would find some important Win XP settings changed. Do I have 
to get a CS degree to understand what's going on?  Or can someone point 
me to an explanation?

Some results:
   0 to 9999999 in 7.641 seconds!
   0 to 1000000 in 0.766 seconds!
   0 to 100000 in 0.078 seconds!
   0 to 50000 in 0.031 seconds!
   0 to 10000 in 0.000 seconds!

Thanks, tutors.

Dick Moores

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#spin.py

import time
print """
    Enter an integer to count to from zero.
    To quit, enter x or q.
    """

while True:
     # for exiting via ^C or ^D
     try:
         max = raw_input("integer: ")
     except (TypeError, EOFError):
         print "Bye."
         break
     if len(max) == 0:
         print "Hey, don't just hit Enter, type an integer first!"
         continue
     if max in ["q", "x"]:
         print "Bye."
         break
     try:
         max = int(max) + 1
     except:
         print "That's not an integer!"
         continue
     if max > 10000000:
         print "For the health of this computer,"
         print "better keep integer under 10 million."
         continue
     print "Counting.."
     t0 = time.time()
     for k in range(max):
         k += 1
     print "0 to %d in %.3f seconds!" % ((k - 1), (time.time() - t0))
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