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Free RAM=Wasted RAM
"I hover between 50 and 60 percent RAM avaliable when I have Norton, Skype, Pidgin, UltraVNC and Advanced SystemCare running in the background with Aero fully enabled and my wife???s 3.5GB XP machine is 70 or 80 percent free with the same system processes running."

Using % RAM free as a benchmark of how well an OS is performing is not very useful. Any RAM not being used is RAM being wasted. Microsoft realized this, and Vista aggressively (and some what intelligently) uses RAM not allocated to running applications as a cache to pre-load items that are likely to be needed from the hard disk. This can greatly improve actual performance, as well as perceived perfomance. Should any program need any of the RAM that is being used as a cache, it is immediately reallocated to that program.

Therefore, Vista machines will almost always appear to use more RAM than XP machines. This does not necessarily mean that Vista is "bloated". In many cases, it just means that it is more effecively using the resouces that are available to it.
Posted by: NoFunDon   Posted on: 09/23/08 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Way to go  Gruffydd | 09/23/08
Free RAM=Wasted RAM  NoFunDon | 09/23/08
SuperFetch, that is.  Gruffydd | 09/23/08
Doesn't Vista allow the user to distinguish between the two?  Zogg | 09/23/08
Vista and caching  CobraA1 | 09/23/08
Not quite right  Ed Bott ZDNet Moderator | 09/23/08
Actually it does preload software.  CobraA1 | 09/23/08
one thousand years ago  Mahegan | 09/24/08
I did the same...  914four | 09/25/08
RAM Drives != cacheing  Joe_Raby | 10/06/08
Microsoft *adapts* to their bloatware...  bbneo | 09/25/08
I'm sure there is a guy out there with a Model T...  Cayble | 10/06/08
Funny that it doesn't work  jorjitop | 09/23/08
but it does work  eggmanbubbagee@... | 09/24/08
I bought Vista back when it was new  BroGnorik | 09/24/08
A slug? Not quite!  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
Not a slug...  dbarr@... | 09/24/08
Agreed. No compelling reason ...  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
None at all...  rickroberts_mcse@... | 09/26/08
Bingo  Cayble | 10/06/08
home or corporate  doctorhealing@... | 11/20/08
Definately a slug.  T1Oracle | 09/24/08
Hmmm  Skullet | 10/06/08
Agreed. Completely.  Cayble | 10/06/08
"Should any program need any of the RAM that is being used..."  bmerc | 09/24/08
I agree  914four | 09/25/08
I'm pretty sure what code it's loading into  alaniane@... | 09/25/08
Yes but... no.  magallanes | 09/24/08
We Have A Job For You in Microsoft P.R.!!!  ssalemi@... | 09/24/08
Needs it for what?  Core2uu | 09/24/08
And this wild theory is based on...????  Cayble | 10/06/08
Wasted RAM  xgi | 10/07/08
The More System Resources The Operating System Uses  Cardhu | 10/09/08
One wonders how much of a computer ....  ShadeTree | 09/23/08
Careful there ShadeTree. I questioned his knowledge in the...  ye | 09/23/08
Prolly 'cause you were rude  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Good thing too, your arrogant nonsense was a waste of bandwidth...  bmerc | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  Badgered | 09/23/08
It's not an issue of like or dislike  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 09/23/08
More evidence you don't know ....  ShadeTree | 09/23/08
That depends on ...  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
Exactly!  justinseinlin | 09/24/08
RE: More evidence you don't know...  Narg | 10/06/08
About the USB stick . . .  CobraA1 | 09/23/08
It blinks constantly and I notice a significant increase  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 09/23/08
Benchmarks show practically no ....  ShadeTree | 09/23/08
The general consensus is to spend money on memory and...  ye | 09/23/08
The 4GB he is running is ....  ShadeTree | 09/23/08
Other considerations ...  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
@mwagner: Vista runs extremely well on 2GB  ye | 09/24/08
FUD about readyboost.  Narg | 10/06/08
May be the photo and video editing?  CobraA1 | 09/23/08
SuperFetch learns your habits  mikefarinha | 09/23/08
Try express card memory  jorjitop | 09/23/08
ReadyBoost will use up to 4GB ...  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
so is it a problem of Vista or....  nothingness | 09/24/08
I tried it out  merc2dogs` | 09/23/08
Just curious  Badgered | 09/24/08
You can turn off the eye candy in Vista ....  ShadeTree | 09/24/08
That's hardly a reason to go buy Vista, though.  Zogg | 09/24/08
Exactly, Zogg, and that is EXACTLY one of Jason's points:  OButterball | 09/24/08
Once again the age old question...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
One thing.  magallanes | 09/24/08
Actually, you can  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
For Example, Dell Offers XP Pro Upgrades From Vista  Cardhu | 09/25/08
I disagree...two new laptops total time -  USTechHead | 09/24/08
Two new laptops for a client, an engineering firm -  OButterball | 09/24/08
Warning, another car analogy...  914four | 09/25/08
It isn't just like XP.  deowll | 09/25/08
We are talking about upgrading existing XP machines.  Zogg | 09/26/08
Yeh it's slower  robert_mt_walker@... | 09/26/08
But even then, neither would help you...  Zogg | 09/26/08
Pray Tell...  benblush@... | 09/24/08
here ya go.  merc2dogs` | 09/24/08
Boatware  shadowwalker1@... | 09/25/08
I tried it out  dianecmiles@... | 09/26/08
One month with Windows Vista  k*w*m | 09/25/08
Reports of Reduced Interoperability  Cardhu | 09/26/08
New Microsoft Commercial:  bmgoodman | 09/23/08
Why?  GuidingLight | 09/23/08
Agreed...no issues coming up on 2 year...  USTechHead | 09/23/08
Same old same old......  James Quinn | 09/23/08
Make it three, Jim.  wolf_z | 09/23/08
Make it three, Jim.  wolf_z | 09/23/08
Four, Jim...  Sleeper Service | 09/23/08
That may be but....  Gerry_z | 09/23/08
I upgraded several systems to Vista...  Chemical X | 09/23/08
People didn't switch to XP either...  Sleeper Service | 09/24/08
Not true  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Then you aren't looking in the right spot  USTechHead | 09/24/08
Five  psyntience | 09/24/08
I thought you only posted on ....  ShadeTree | 09/24/08
six, seven, and eight.  ye | 09/24/08
Speaking of Same old, same old...  GuidingLight | 09/24/08
Stop the Mac FUD  stano360 | 09/24/08
AMEN! LOL - he is a Mac FUD - next will be the sob  USTechHead | 09/24/08
lol (nt)  n0neXn0ne | 09/23/08
Disabling UAC? Bad boy! And other various things.  CobraA1 | 09/23/08
PWNED!  benblush@... | 09/24/08
Well Said  kc117mx | 09/24/08
You're right...  danmarce | 09/24/08
I may have to take one thing back . . .  CobraA1 | 09/25/08
'Tis called Superfetch  laxmanb | 09/23/08
what are you doing to get constant UAC prompts?  NonZealot | 09/23/08
Typical....  James Quinn | 09/23/08
I wish I didn't need keys for my car.  CobraA1 | 09/23/08
Hold the phone Jim...  Wolfie2K3 | 09/24/08
Speaking personally...  Zogg | 09/24/08
Sounds like you've never used it  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Are you serious?  stano360 | 09/24/08
What are you installing on Ubuntu?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
ubuntu & LINUX  jns_45K@... | 09/30/08
You know what...  benblush@... | 09/24/08
I know what  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Turning off UAC is like running Linux as root 24x7!  Grayson Peddie | 09/23/08
True, but that's not the point.  Zogg | 09/24/08
This is not high school, my friend.  Samic | 09/24/08
Eh? That's not what I said.  Zogg | 09/24/08
And UAC is supposed to save us all from ourselves??  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Most problems are user problems  stano360 | 09/24/08
See if you followed through with Linux...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
But it is the point...  NewlyVistafied | 09/24/08
THE REASON for Vista is UAC  DevGuy_z | 09/23/08
Better security comes at a price.  Chemical X | 09/23/08
UAC isn't the problem....YOU are!  benblush@... | 09/24/08
UAC isn't the problem....YOU are!  dianecmiles@... | 09/26/08
UAC isn't the problem....YOU are!  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/27/08
GNU/Linux has had good security ages ago.  pogson | 09/24/08
For remote desktop: My recommendation is Live Mesh  CobraA1 | 09/23/08
Try Windows Defender  LBiege | 09/23/08
only the morons disable the UAC  qmlscycrajg | 09/23/08
Only for people who can't trust themselves  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
I am in the same boat as you jperlow.  Been_Done_Before | 09/23/08
All i know is ....  n0neXn0ne | 09/23/08
I had to remove the porn for the screenshot, sorry.  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 09/23/08
sad  n0neXn0ne | 09/23/08
At least itś Firefox...  Don Collins | 09/24/08
AGREED  benblush@... | 09/24/08
How does it handle DAWs?  davidr69 | 09/23/08
Perfect!!!  benblush@... | 09/24/08
Compatibility  garyrroberts@... | 09/24/08
It opens them LOL  garyrroberts@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  shanedr | 09/23/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ruimcarvalho@... | 09/23/08
Suggestion....  ivanotter | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  kstevedahl@... | 09/23/08
Not a Vista issue  gnesterenko | 09/24/08
Not sure as to just hardware problem  garyrroberts@... | 09/24/08
Microsoft did not promise ...  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  frj111@... | 09/23/08
He was too busy bashing Vista ....  ShadeTree | 09/23/08
Well, As I've read over what is it now a year plus  James Quinn | 09/23/08
A lot of people...  Sleeper Service | 09/23/08
I wouldn't call this article a ....  ShadeTree | 09/24/08
That's it?  Badgered | 09/24/08
Even if he did...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Odd  Badgered | 09/24/08
Odd  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
.....  Badgered | 09/24/08
The only thing STUPIDER than someone wasting my time with a pointless post  bmerc | 09/24/08
Really?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
huh?  Badgered | 09/24/08
@bmerc  Badgered | 09/24/08
huh?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Well  Badgered | 09/25/08
Well is right...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/25/08
First of all....  Badgered | 09/26/08
More badgering from guess-who... grin  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/26/08
indeed  Badgered | 09/30/08
I needed a new PC.  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 09/23/08
Vista  frj111@... | 09/24/08
PRESS I GUESS.  garyrroberts@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  El Condor | 09/23/08
Why would you even try?  stano360 | 09/24/08
Why would you even try  El Condor | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  danielarbib | 09/23/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  myke34@... | 09/23/08
You have Sidebar on  beoz | 09/23/08
I havent decided  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 09/23/08
Sidebar Flawed  garyrroberts@... | 09/24/08
Thanks for the answers!  beoz | 09/24/08
Vista will rule the world  trentreviso | 09/23/08
Hey Chicken Little - give my your acct. #  USTechHead | 09/24/08
The corporate buffoons are out and about...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
Pull your knickers up!  garyrroberts@... | 09/24/08
Exactly... MS Tax...  bbneo | 09/25/08
Not Stable Yet  gwrush@... | 09/23/08
Yet another HP laptop user...  gnesterenko | 09/24/08
There is definitely a pattern here ...  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  fredkelly | 09/23/08
Why Do I use Vista?  emmerc@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  BURFOOT | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  shollomon | 09/24/08
I see the UAC all the time.  golstat2003 | 09/24/08
The problem is with the applications.  ShadeTree | 09/24/08
And?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
You're doing somthing wrong  DotNetWill | 09/24/08
to be fair  Badgered | 09/24/08
I strongly agree!  Andrej.G. | 09/25/08
As soon as Microsoft ponies up...  ejhonda | 09/24/08
OK.. I give.. Wanna clue us all in?  Wolfie2K3 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  kcdrummer | 09/24/08
vista is why i went to linux (nt)  mblack45@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  terenceleung2001 | 09/24/08
LOL... funny why u didn't try linux for a month.  ardnivar | 09/24/08
another linux freak  dave@... | 09/24/08
An excellent question..  Wolfie2K3 | 09/24/08
The answer is neither  alaniane@... | 09/27/08
The Presumption That Pirating MS Windows Is Common  Cardhu | 09/28/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
Good Point...I fell into one of those...nt  USTechHead | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  Corsulian | 09/24/08
One Month with Windows Vista and I Went Back to Windows XP  chessmen | 09/24/08
XP is no different  stano360 | 09/24/08
Vista Tips and Tweaks - Video Tutorials  pcwizkid.tech.talk@... | 09/24/08
Wow, some expert...  Spiritusindomit@... | 09/24/08
HAPPILY sticking with Vista  Speednet | 09/24/08
HAPPILY sticking with Vista  dianecmiles@... | 09/26/08
Managing XP vs. Vista  cquirke1 | 09/27/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  joshbw | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  joshbw | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  alkolkin@... | 09/24/08
Drastically Speed up your ... System...  n0neXn0ne | 09/24/08
Get Stardock Objectdock or a free dock program  Randalllind | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  jlmuzzio | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ceh4702 | 09/24/08
Worthless review since UAC not enabled  Ken_SF | 09/24/08
YOU CONTRADICT YOURSELF  JABBER_WOLF | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  aggieoo7 | 09/24/08
I'm now 9 months into same thing  tony@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  paulhinz | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  BobPo | 09/24/08
This would be interesting - give OS X a month  kirk@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  erniem1970@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  imaho@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  JLKar101 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  shadfurman | 09/24/08
Luckily you do not develop software  gary@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  themouser2@... | 09/24/08
Removed DELL crap also...  joeshutters@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  paul.gallagher@... | 09/24/08
Well of course people say no  tech_walker | 09/24/08
UAC  dcdavy | 09/24/08
It was all about RAM for me...  Deacon336 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  dilbert@... | 09/24/08
Not begrudgingly, not at all!  william.brophy@... | 09/24/08
I gave it a whole year  looker | 09/24/08
RE: Tried it and Microsoft can keep it.  bnmiller2 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  dcdavy | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  shadfurman | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  infenit101 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  Aetos51 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  chadridesabike@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  Stovies | 09/24/08
RE: Removing UAC  adsgfs | 09/24/08
UAC Is crapware  Randalllind | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  szczyrk44 | 09/24/08
Better Than Any Previous Windows OS  escapepod | 09/24/08
Just for laughs ...  mwagner@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  bricar2 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  bobschacht | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ysimkin@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ssalemi@... | 09/24/08
Yes, "Begrudingly"  clearmiddle | 09/24/08
One month was about what it took for me...  ja4509 | 09/24/08
Tried it for 90 days, and junked it  johnnydoe1894 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  blackcat@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  vger_z | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  stevewj@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  jccapt@... | 09/24/08
Vista  play720454 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  danteuno | 09/24/08
Another Gloomy Day For Vista  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  andrewvieau@... | 09/24/08
RE: No Way!  jimr@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ksebsc173 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  JackNZ | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  tommon | 09/24/08
Vista - A little better than DOS  davegrune@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  waltercraigie | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  warogren@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  jimkinsella@... | 09/24/08
Gaming Systems are Good...  phyfell@... | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  steinr98 | 09/24/08
Sorry to disagree with all you Vista bashers  jonrichco | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  mgoodman56 | 09/24/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  dgarts@... | 09/24/08
Novice Users + Lousy Support = TROUBLE  g-man_863 | 09/24/08
Lucky me.  joe.smetona@... | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ismoore | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ROBERT BUCKHOLZ | 09/25/08
One and a half years with Vista... Oy.  bbneo | 09/25/08
Microsoft's 1980's IBM phase...  bbneo | 09/25/08
Norton 360 2009 really is lighter?  bbneo | 09/25/08
Norton a smelly piece of poo  David the Nerd | 09/25/08
Yep  fixeddice | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  artful@... | 09/25/08
Been running Mojave since I got this new notebook   | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  JDThompson | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  hal66 | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  Andrej.G. | 09/25/08
How can you compare the two?..  AiR_GuNNeR | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  gwilson@... | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  msowajr@... | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  Pat Barr | 09/25/08
One Month with Windows Vista is equal to being kicked in the buttocks  XweAponX | 09/25/08
Short answer: No.  stan@... | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista (Honeymoon)  kro1 | 09/25/08
DX10  fixeddice | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  fixeddice | 09/25/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  fixeddice | 09/25/08
I'm at almost 3 Months  sbf95070 | 09/26/08
Maybe I'm crazy - but Vista is fine for me  SCL01 | 09/26/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  dianecmiles@... | 09/26/08
Talk About "Damning with faint praise."  Cardhu | 09/27/08
That's basically the bottom line.  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 09/27/08
30 Days Without Vista  chessmen | 09/27/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  elvisfan0108 | 09/29/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  mrmikejok@... | 09/29/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  bleutoo | 09/29/08
Has anyone started coding and compiling these responses?  kro1 | 09/29/08
Vista 32 maybe, 64 NOOOOOOO!!!!  The_Curmudgeon | 10/04/08
If You Must Use Windows  Cardhu | 10/06/08
Try a real Modeling Tool instead of Visio  dbm@... | 10/06/08
Two Months with Windows Vista and it's great  dana@... | 10/06/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  section101 | 10/06/08
1 reason why you don't like it...  Narg | 10/06/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  ebhb2004@... | 10/06/08
It's a total irritant - and unstable to boot  susanbuyer@... | 10/06/08
Thats a shame  ralphrides | 10/06/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  jonrichco | 10/12/08
I love my Vista  owen35ny | 10/15/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  owen35ny | 10/15/08
RE: One Month with Windows Vista  cybrarian | 10/27/08

What do you think?

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