Minimized Applications

[Curt Christianson]

A very good even all,

This may qualify as the *stupidest* question asked in this group.

Way back in my WFW 3.11 days, people would tell me that minimizing an app to
the task bar required far less resources than if simply left full-screen,
and perhaps switching between maximized spplications. I'm embarassed to
say, but *I* certainly don't know.

IF this is indeed true, would it be to my advantage on this old machine to
do just that? Just in case someone would like the vitals on this box, here
they go:

Monday October, 08, 2007 11:06 PM

[ Windows ]
Version = XP Professional SP 2
Installation Date & Time = 07 / 04 / 2007 11:30:36
Current User = Curt Christianson
User Is Administrator = Yes
Last System Startup = 08 / 10 / 2007 20:36:11
Setup Path = D:\


[Internet Explorer 6]
Version = 6.0.2900.2180


[Outlook Express 6]
Version = 6.0.2900.2180


[Office ]

[ Motherboard ]
Manufacturer = <Unknown>
Model = <Unknown>
Primary Bus Type = PCI
Secondary Bus Type = ISA
Processor = AuthenticAMD x86 Family 5 Model 8 Stepping 12
Current Clock Speed = 499
Processor Voltage = 2.20 Volts

[ Memory ]
Installed RAM = 375 MB
Available RAM = 121 MB
Total Virtual Memory = 2048 MB
Available Virtual Memory = 2002 MB

[Drives]
<Drive A:>
Type = Removable
Drive Status = NOT READY

<Drive C:>
Type = Fixed
Label =
File System = NTFS
Total Space = 31.484 GB
Available Space = 24.753 GB
Drive Status = READY

<Drive D:>
Type = CDROM
Drive Status = READY



[Network]
Computer Name = CURTIS-BDCD321E

< Adapter 1>
IP Address = 192.168.0.100


--
HTH,
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm

 

[Tim Slattery]

A very good even all,

This may qualify as the *stupidest* question asked in this group.

Way back in my WFW 3.11 days, people would tell me that minimizing an app to
the task bar required far less resources than if simply left full-screen,
and perhaps switching between maximized spplications. I'm embarassed to
say, but *I* certainly don't know.

Well let's see. When a program is shrunken to the command line it
doesn't need to be displaying anything, so it can release a lot of the
graphic resources that it's been using. In Win 3.x this could be a BIG
deal, since those resources were quite limited. In WinXP, those
resources are practically unlimited.

It also would depend on the program. The program *could* release some
resources when it's minimized, but only if the programmer thought
about it and implemented that functionality.

I don't think that it will make much difference in XP. If you shrink
it to the taskbar and don't use it a while, and something else needs
the RAM, then it will be swapped out to the swap file. Much the same
will happen if you don't minimize it, but don't use it. A bit of it
would have to stay in RAM to handle the display (unless it's hidden
behind other apps and not appearing at all).

All in all, I don't think I'd worry about it.