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Well, it's not really necessary for linux The memory you see taken up is mostly a cache of previously loaded programs. If/when you start them again, the data is already there and the programs load much faster than from disk... But if you run low on memory, the cached data is purged to make room for the new data. It's a much more efficient system, and you shouldn't worry about memory that's just sitting there being used. That's what it's there for, isn't it?
--Shade
PS- do a search for more in depth discussions on this.
Yuh, a first I was also quite concern with the "high usage" of RAM on my machine (1GB RAM).
I totally agree with Shade, that the OS should utilize as much RAM as possible.
Secondly, LINUX IS NOT WINDOZE. The memory management is INFINITELY better.
As of my experience (on windoze), no matter how much RAM you have on your system. It still wants to use your harddisk as scratch disk or whatever they called it.
So, relax, and let the kernel do its job.
Last edited by carboncopy; 10-08-2004 at 02:55 AM.
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The memory you see taken up is mostly a cache of previously loaded programs. If/when you start them again, the data is already there and the programs load much faster than from disk... But if you run low on memory, the cached data is purged to make room for the new data. It's a much more efficient system, and you shouldn't worry about memory that's just sitting there being used. That's what it's there for, isn't it? 
