# Why is SDMB such a goddamn memory hog? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 19, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789 "2011-09-19T04:14:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/1 "2011-09-19T04:14:16Z")
I am using Chrome on XP with 4GB and a quad core. I can open a hundred tabs on graphics rich websites and surf for days with no problems. But if I come here, and open more than thirty or so tabs, the system slows to a crawl, with Chrome popping up windows about non responsive windows etc. Worse, closing the window with the SDMB tabs does not return the system to responsiveness. It is like there is a major memory leak associated with this site. My only option is to reboot. How can a site that is almost entirely text based fuck with my system so much? Why should a page that has a single banner and a few little graphics here and there eat memory like a pig? This is really getting fucking annoying. FOUR GIGABYTES!!! How can text fill up FOUR GIGABYTES? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/2 "2011-09-19T04:48:52Z")
I have NO problems keeping open approximately that many SDMB tabs (plus many others) in Firefox (with AdBlock+ & NoScript) on a MUCH MUCH lesser PC. So I doubt it’s site specific, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/3 "2011-09-19T04:51:39Z")
30 tabs :eek: I get antsy when I have more then 5 or 6 open and close anything I don’t need. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/4 "2011-09-19T04:56:07Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > I have NO problems keeping open approximately that many SDMB tabs (plus many others) in Firefox (with AdBlock+ & NoScript) on a MUCH MUCH lesser PC. So I doubt it’s site specific, IMO. Not willing to go back to Firefox. It used to be ok, but now it is the very definition of cruftware. Way too many gewgaws for me. Worse than IE. That is why I am using Chrome. And yeah, for me it is very definitely site specific. I hang out on Fark, and open dozens of windows from all kinds of sites and no problems, but come here and fuggedaboudit. Chrome whines after thirty or forty SDMB windows are open, and as I said, closing the window with the SDMB tabs does _ **not** _ return the system to usability. That is the very definition of a memory leak. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/5 "2011-09-19T05:28:36Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Not willing to go back to Firefox. It used to be ok, but now it is the very definition of cruftware. Way too many gewgaws for me. Worse than IE. That is why I am using Chrome. > > And yeah, for me it is very definitely site specific. I hang out on Fark, and open dozens of windows from all kinds of sites and no problems, but come here and fuggedaboudit. Chrome whines after thirty or forty SDMB windows are open, and as I said, closing the window with the SDMB tabs does _ **not** _ return the system to usability. That is the very definition of a memory leak. I am using Chrome to do the SDMB on a 4gb Quad-core with Vista 64 right now and it is fine. I think XP is the issue. I noticed I was having a problem with Chrome hogging memory on 1gb XP machine and I switched to Seamonkey. [http://www.seamonkey-project.org/](http://www.seamonkey-project.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/6 "2011-09-19T05:50:30Z")
NoScript tells me the following scripts are attached to the SDMB: > **[Analytics Tools & Solutions for Your Business - Google Analytics](https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/)** > > Google Analytics gives you the tools you need to better understand your customers. You can then use those business insights to take action, such as improving your website, creating tailored audience lists, and more. > **[Magnite - The Largest Independent Sell-Side Ad Platform](https://www.magnite.com/)** > > The world's top publishers trust Magnite to help them drive more advertising revenue across every channel and format, including CTV. > **[Google](https://www.google.com/)** > > Search the world's information, including webpages, images, videos and more. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for. [exelator.com](http://exelator.com) [cdnlayer.com](http://cdnlayer.com) [quantserve.com](http://quantserve.com) and [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com). I don’t know how to interpret that, but FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/7 "2011-09-19T07:06:08Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > NoScript tells me the following scripts are attached to the SDMB: > > [google-analytics.com](http://google-analytics.com) > [rubiconproject.com](http://rubiconproject.com) > [googlesyndication.com](http://googlesyndication.com) > [exelator.com](http://exelator.com) > [cdnlayer.com](http://cdnlayer.com) > [quantserve.com](http://quantserve.com) I wonder if the google scripts have something to do with the fact that I noticed that a google search turns up things I posted on the SDMB a few minutes before? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/8 "2011-09-20T05:38:08Z")
I’m not going to tell you that you can’t have 40 tabs open at once, but I can’t imagine why you’re doing it or how it’s useful. There’s an adblock addon for Chrome now. I’ve been using it for a few months and I love it. Maybe it will help? > **[Adblock Plus | The world's #1 free ad blocker](https://adblockplus.org/)** > > Adblock Plus, the most popular ad blocker on Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Android and iOS. Block pop-ups and annoying ads on websites like Facebook and YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/9 "2011-09-20T06:35:46Z")
If Chrome’s adblock works like Firefox’s, then it should help in that the various scripts can be blocked. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/10 "2011-09-20T07:09:39Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > **Why is SDMB such a goddamn memory hog?** Well, the motto of the site _is_ “Fighting Ignorance Since 1973”. That’s a job that takes up a _lot_ of memory. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/11 "2011-09-20T13:21:54Z")
First of all, if there’s a memory leak, it is much more likely the browser’s fault, not the site’s. Secondly, you can see how much memory each tab uses by right clicking on the blue top bar and choosing ‘Task Manager’. Verify it really is this site that is using a lot of memory. I have three tabs open, GMAIL, SDMB, and the web page I found to remind how to open the task manager. The SDMB is only using 23MB, whereas the others are using 56 and 84MB. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/12 "2011-09-20T16:32:00Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Secondly, you can see how much memory each tab uses by right clicking on the blue top bar and choosing ‘Task Manager’. Verify it really is this site that is using a lot of memory. Wow, **Revtim** , that is a very useful feature that I didn’t know about. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/13 "2011-09-20T16:51:37Z")
I’ll echo the earlier :eek:. Why on Earth would anyone have 30 SDMB tabs open at once? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/14 "2011-09-21T13:18:36Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’ll echo the earlier :eek:. Why on Earth would anyone have 30 SDMB tabs open at once? Speaking for myself, I have two groups of sites that I view every day. Once group is daily comics, the other is everything else I view daily such as blogs, etc. I like to start a whole group loading at once, so that as I read one of the quicker loading ones the slower ones load up. Each of my groups is over 50 tabs, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/15 "2011-09-21T13:27:03Z")
Yeah but… why would someone need 30 tabs from _this site_ open at one time? ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/16 "2011-09-21T13:32:29Z")
Why not? I often do much the same. Open SDMB, scan an area, and open the ones that interest me in tabs. Then I come back and read them through the course of the day. Some folks like tabs, some don’t. Who NEEDS the SDMB in the fist place? I hate the “Who NEEDS” statement. Just because it’s not the way you do it, want it, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t fit someone elses needs/wants. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/17 "2011-09-21T14:19:47Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Yeah but… why would someone need 30 tabs from _this site_ open at one time? I go to New Posts, go through the entire list and open up each thread that I’m interested in a new tab, then read them all. I usually have 20-40 threads open when I’m done going through all the New Posts. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/18 "2011-09-21T17:17:33Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Why not? I often do much the same. Open SDMB, scan an area, and open the ones that interest me in tabs. Then I come back and read them through the course of the day. > > Some folks like tabs, some don’t. > > Who NEEDS the SDMB in the fist place? I hate the “Who NEEDS” statement. Just because it’s not the way you do it, want it, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t fit someone elses needs/wants. It’s not that I’m baffled by reading a lot of the Dope. It’s the 30 tabs open at once that makes me blink. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/19 "2011-09-21T17:23:08Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Yeah but… why would someone need 30 tabs from _this site_ open at one time? Huh, I misread the OP, and thought only one tab was the SDMB, and the others were other sites. But I see others have described how one could reasonably have so many SDMB tabs open. I typically go to a forum, and then open the threads I’m interested in into other tabs, and read them before going to the next forum. I probably end up having no more than ten SDMB tabs open, and usually less. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sdmb-such-a-goddamn-memory-hog/596789/20 "2011-09-21T20:03:28Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It’s not that I’m baffled by reading a lot of the Dope. It’s the 30 tabs open at once that makes me blink. So you don’t have to keep going back to the topic list after you finish a thread, just close the tab and move on to the next tab. Also keeps the bolding on new topics from disappearing before I get to them all. It also gets all the loading out of the way so when changing topics you don’t have to sit there waiting for everything to load, it all loaded back when you were perusing the topics. Even just a few seconds per topic adds up.