purge

The necessity of regular use of the 'purge' command in OS X

When using your Mac, active programs, documents, and system resources will be loaded into memory (RAM), where they can be accessed quickly to run and perform computations. While active memory contents are maintained in memory, the system also keeps some recently used but inactive processes and data there in order to quickly revive them, if needed.

These memory allotments should be managed dynamically for optimum performance, but some people who regularly run low on RAM may be concerned about this and resort to using "RAM cleaning" programs. One of these is the "purge" Terminal command that … Read more

'Purge' command not working in OS X 10.8.1

Memory management in OS X is done primarily by the operating system's virtual memory system; however, there are a few approaches you can take to force the system to clear some aspects of its memory structure and free it up either for troubleshooting purposes or to perhaps help performance.

Part of the memory system in OS X is a cache, where recently used program information is stored so the system can more swiftly launch the program if needed. If you open the Activity Monitor utility in OS X and view the System Memory section, you will see this cache … Read more

Are you finished with physical media?

It was just the other day when I had a conversation with CNET Senior Editor David Katzmaier about movies, and he told me he was getting rid of nearly all of his DVDs and Blu-rays. Whoa, that news hit me hard; Katzmaier has reviewed a gazillion TVs and loves movies, but he no longer feels a need to keep the discs.

I know it makes sense for a lot of folks, but not me. I like having my stuff around, and I like the process of selecting music from my huge collection. It's pretty organized, so I can find most titles in a few seconds, but I also like just randomly pulling up something, and holding the cover in my hands. I have a strong attachment to this stuff, and I don't want to ever let it all go.… Read more

LimeWire judge cuts curious note about EFF lawyer

U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood apparently goofed by suggesting that a prominent pro-technology attorney acted improperly in dealings with the firm that oversees LimeWire.

Two weeks ago, Wood granted summary judgment in favor of the Recording Industry Association of America in the trade group's copyright case against Lime Group, parent of file-sharing service Lime Wire, maker of the LimeWire software. While Wood's decision generated enormous interest from file sharers, as it likely means the end of LimeWire, according to legal experts, Wood's written decision stirred controversy in legal circles by including a short note about lawyer … Read more

iTunes vs physical media, and the urge to purge

I own 3,000 CDs and 4,000 LPs. They take up a lot of space in my apartment, and that's OK with me. They're lined up in metal racks, wood shelving, and stacked up in piles on the floor. But a lot of my friends with just a few hundred CDs are in a big hurry to dump them into their computers and get rid of the discs. I just had lunch yesterday with an audiophile friend who is in the midst of transferring all of his CDs as WAV files to his new HD. As always … Read more