Applications not quitting upon exit

Slinkie

Slinkie

Slinkie

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Hi folks,

I'm still getting to grips with my new Macbook. One thing I have found is that when I press the red x at the top left of an application the application disappears but the tool bar remains at the top of the screen. After closing a lot of applcations this way I can then go to force quit in the main menu and they are still in there.

Does this mean the applications have not quit or that they are running in the back ground? Is there anyway to quit the application completely using this method?

Thanks

Matt
 
In OSX applications don't quit if you press the little red x.

you either have to go to File/Quit, press Apple+Q or hold down the mouse (or right click) on the app icon on the dock and select quit.

Panzer
 
Panzerbjorn said:
In OSX applications don't quit if you press the little red x.

you either have to go to File/Quit, press Apple+Q or hold down the mouse (or right click) on the app icon on the dock and select quit.

Panzer
Click to expand...

Do they stay open as if I was using them (ie using up resources) or do they just run in the back ground? It shouldn't cause a problem really, I have the middle spec macbook (2.ghz, 2gb ram) but I think I am having probs with my internet connection so I am trying to determine if it is my connection that is making my safari + mail slow or if it is just slow down due to the applications open.

Cheers

Matt
 
Are you running wireless off a Netgear router by any chance?

I'm having problems with the above setup at the minute as are some other forum members.

With your current spec you shouldn't really see much slowdown just by having a few apps open (depending on what apps you're using of course).

When they aren't on screen they still run (it's just like minimising in windows) iTunes will still play music even if it's off screen, mail will still pick up your e-mails etc.

Hope that helps.

Panzer
 
You are just closing the window by clicking that button. It will probably free some resources but the application is still running.

One of the bigger differences compared to Windows is that windows are distinct from applications, meaning that it doesn't matter if all of an application's windows are currently closed - it can still run until it itself is asked to quit.

If you want to quit the whole application, use Command-Q (Quit). If you want to get it out of your way to do something else, use Command-H (Hide). IMO minimising (the yellow button) is pretty redundant on Mac OS :)
 
Applications in the dock that have a little bubble underneath them are running still in the background. If you quit them the bubble will dissapear - at this point an application could disappear from the dock or, if it's been locked, stay in the dock ready for you to click on to load it again next time.

One thing to note about OSX, if you look at the activity monitor there is an "inactive" memory category which are memory pages for applications that have been quit that may be loaded again .. thus speeding the whole load up. A program cache if you will..
OSX will automatically reduce the inactive amount as needed automatically.

I wouldn't worry about the free memory unless you're getting short and start seeing paging.

As people have stated - having windows open/closed isn't normally a sign of if a program is loaded or not. The bubbles are..
 
nav... said:
I can just imagine the OP having a dock spanning the entire width of his screen with programs still open right now.
Click to expand...

Heh, it's not that bad :-) I'm just trying to determine what is causing the slow down when using safari and mail etc. I think it was possibley my wireless connection to my router, my pc in the same location was fine but for some reason the connection seems to drop using my mac. The router is a linksys btw and it seems to e behaving itselft this morning.

Thanks

Matt
 
if you look at the process list (Activity Monitor) and there's a "mds" or something similar then Spotlight is indexing your files in the background.

Also every week, month etc it runs a housekeeping script to clear logged files etc.
 
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