RAM is a SCAM!

[macgeek2005]

I've got the same programs open on my G4 Tower and my iBook right now.

iTunes, iChat, MSN Messenger, Firefox, Textedit, Preview, Quicktime 7 Pro, Activity Moniter.

The G4 has 1.75GB of ram, and the iBook has 384mb.

There is 1.15GB free on the G4 and 32.75mb free on the iBook.

The more ram you have, the more it uses.

I can easily have all the programs I have open on my tower, open on my iBook, even though theres "not enough ram".

How do you explain this?

 

[Rspaight]

The iBook is swapping a lot more to disk.

 

[njmac]

The more ram gets used - the faster the computer will be. so if you only have 256 MB of RAM the computer will use that and put the rest on your disk, but if you have 2 GB RAM then the same workflow you had before may use 1.5 GB RAM so everything will be faster.

 

[EricNau]

You should notice that a large amount of the "used" RAM is in the 'inactive' category, which isn't actually being used. According to Apple, "[the information in inactive RAM] is no longer being used and has been cached to disk, but it will remain in RAM until another application needs the space." Eventually if it isn't used, it will be overwritten by another application.

So you really have more RAM that isn't being used than it appears in activity monitor.

 

[macgeek2005]

I suppose that make sense... the ibook moves like a turtle, whereas my tower runs smooth and nice!

 

[bbrosemer]

So you didnt know what RAM did then ok well terrific.

 

[mad jew]

macgeek2005, a little secret about Macs is that they're very competent with memory management. If you're not getting any slowdown then don't worry about what Activity Monitor is saying.