Lazy programming wastes memory?
Why: - with three tabs open am I consuming 1.14Gb of memory? - why with three tabs open are there 8 "instances" of FF open in my task manager? - why if I leave FF for some time does memory usuage keep going up? - why do you assume it is fine for FF to consume a disproportionate amount of MY computer resource? - why on the help pages does FF casually say, "memory is cheap" so buy more? No! I've just spent a healthy sum of money on a well provisioned computer. So why should I sponsor your lazy approach to programming? - why are suggestions on the help pages all orientated towards "stealing" yet more resources from my machine (e.g., swapping memory usage to other hardware use?).
Why is it not possible for FF to use resources properly? Today's browser uses a MASSIVE amount of resource compared to "yesterday's" versions. Why? Just becuase it is there? Lazy!
So I'm looking forward to understanding why it is fine / possible that FF can happily consume 2,147,483,648 bytes - or more of memory.
All Replies (3)
Why with four tabs open am I consuming 420 Mb of memory? Why with four tabs open are there 5 "instances" of FF open in my task manager? Why if I leave FF for some time does memory usage go slightly up and down? Why do you assume it is FF consuming a disproportionate amount of computer resources?
You raise the exact same question as me. Apparently not much happening on FF side but it has eaten up over 400mb of YOUR memory.
So here is my thinking and I'd really welcome your feedback.
If I lent you my car I believe you'd return it with a full tank of gas and take a bit of pride in returning it in the same condition as I lent it to you. This adds up to the fact you respect you are driving my dollars (and so effort) wrapped up in that car.
I see the FF situation in just the same way. The trouble is they are not like you... There is not the respect that they are "driving" my hardware. Gas is cheap and friends are easy to come by.
Why do I assume FF is eating up the resource? The task manager for starters gives a rough idea of how much memory is assigned. I do not have a mass of plugins (2) and those I do have are not know as problematic.
It is easy to drag in more and more libraries when programming that "might" be needed -- amongst a whole lot of other approaches - that do little to create lean software.
Come back at me. Persuade me that FF is doing a great architectural job on it software.
See your other thread on this subject from 15 months ago: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1216743
" My system is running Win 10 professional on an i7 CPU with 8Gb RAM. There are two add-ons running - Ghostery (an ad blocker) and Zotero (a bibliographic software). "
Is it safe to assume you are using the same PC now? If so, 420 Mb is like (what) 5% of of your total RAM.
Hell, I have an AMD Athlon Quad-core of 3.4 GHz PC (self-built for under $400 [4 500 Gb hard drives for 2 Tb] with "clearance parts" and parts that have ended their "sales life-span") with 32-Bit Windows 7 with only 4 Gb of of RAM [stayed with 32-bit Windows 7 due to a few other old applications] and don't have a problem with Firefox 68.0.1 when I have dozens of tabs open along with multiple windows.
I have seen definite improvements in the 15 months since Fx 59 (May 2018) when you first posted about your issues with Firefox and RAM usage. Almost every version which is released (every 6 weeks) since "multi-thread" arrived in Firefox have received improvements RAM.
Sounds like you need to do some troubleshooting ....
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/quick-fixes-if-your-firefox-slows-down
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-uses-too-much-memory-ram
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-extensions-themes-to-fix-problems
In conclusion, back in May 2018 you posted "There are two add-ons running - Ghostery (an ad blocker) and Zotero (a bibliographic software)."
My advice is to first disable each of those add-on extensions separately to see if RAM usage drops, although 420 Mb isn't "too much" IMO.