Linux uses all my memory, all the time! Why?
Novell Cool Solutions: Question & Answer
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Q:
When I boot up Linux, according to System Monitor, Linux almost immediately starts using 100% of my memory. Is this a bug?
A:
In general Linux uses as much of ram as it can sensibly get and use. So, at first glance it appears that Windows XP would use memory more efficiently, because more is reported to be free.
The truth is that by using all of your memory right from the start and shuffling this around as needed, Linux is much more efficent while Windows does not make use of all the free ram.
Linux just uses a fundamentally different, but more efficient memory management system.
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