Even when an app is minimised (or even closed) it still retains a memory thread..(open an app, say games then close it) - then check task manager, there you will see it is still retaining around a 90MB memory thread (in the case of games - other apps vary).
 
Now if one has several apps supposedly in the "dormant, or sleep" state, this amount of memory may become significant.
Of course perhaps it will make no difference, and I run so few VSTs that I don't notice, but out of habit now after using any windows app, I always open task manager (on my taskbar) to close them.

Well, minimization and such has applied to multiple Windows versions, going as far back as I can recall.
 
Some programs close all the way, and some close their screen but stay running in the background.
 
Terminate and Stay Ready (TSR) was the term from way back in the days of DOS, don't know if that's still what you would call that behavior in Windows.
 
Your information is correct, in that some programs stay running in the background, like if you open your antivirus UI screen and then close it - it stays running in the background.  Skype and Yahoo Messenger do this as well, by default.
Microsoft Word will close all the way, but if you installed all of Office with defaults, there will be a couple of other programs that come with Office that will start with Windows and run.
 
Other programs, like various 'Updater' programs, run all the time, and periodically check for software updates.  I don't like having these kind of programs running, but if you set them to manually check for updates, then you have to have the discipline to do your own checking.
 
Bob Bone
 

Point is the app, even in the states you write ( such information I am aware of btw ) STILL retains memory, that is not useable by another programme. I have 8 gig of memory so it is not really an issue, but those that do run "close to the margins" as fas as VSTs using RAM go, may experience glitches...just saying.
 
Terminate and stay ready was never part of DOS, sorry to disagree. IIRC it was introduced in Windows 3.1 when multi-tasking first really became possible. But even in 3.1 if a program was closed, it DID close completely.
 
All I am suggesting is if folks are using systems with the bare minimum of specs is to be aware of the issue. Much the same as the "allow applications to take exclusive control" tweak in the Sounds section. I am not really looking for a philosophical discussion
 
Cheers

Been a long time since TSR, I am fuzzy on this morning, let alone 20-30 years ago - I currently have 32 GB of memory, so I pay zero attention, by design.
 
For those it does potentially apply to, react accordingly.  :)
 
Bob Bone
 

By the way, I am not debating whether or not applications retain some trace of memory if the are closed in Windows - they may or may not, and that affects some folks, then I wish them the best of being aware of this and that they can do what they need to for mitigating any adverse effects.
 
I DID go back and look into TSR programs, as I was quite sure in my mind that they existed before Windows 3.1, and found the following entries without really any significant digging - just a quick Google search:
 
"
From various Wickipedia entries:
In computers, a terminate and stay resident program (commonly referred to by the initialism TSR) is a computer program that uses a system call in DOS operating systems to return control of the computer to the operating system, as thougth the program has quit, but stays resident in computer memory so it can be reactivated by a hardware or software interrupt.[1] This technique partially overcame DOS operating systems' limitation of executing only one program, or task, at a time. TSR is unique to DOS and not used in Windows.
--------------------
1983
Borland developed a series of well-regarded software development tools. Its first product was Turbo Pascal in 1983, developed by Anders Hejlsberg (who later developed .NET and C# for Microsoft) and before Borland acquired the product sold in Scandinavia under the name of Compas Pascal. 1984 saw the launch of Borland Sidekick, a time organization, notebook, and calculator utility that was an early and popular terminate and stay resident program (TSR) for DOS operating systems.

---------------------------------
1983
Borland runs a two-page ad in Byte for Sidekick, a memory-resident, or Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) program that uses a hot-key pop-up window to superimpose a calculator, calendar, notepad, phone dialer, and ASCII table onto PC DOS software.[150][151][152] Other companies soon discovered this wonderful DOS feature and TSRs began competing for the PC compatible's finite memory space. InfoWorld would name it 1984 Software Product of the Year (1-2-3 was their 1983 awardee).[136]"
 
So, in agreement with my fuzzy brain, it would seem that TSR did apply to DOS programs, and was first introduced with DOS programs, somewhere in or around 1984.
 
In any case, whatever the terminology or history, some programs do close completely in Windows, and some do not.  Completely may or may not include some residual bit of memory - I do not know for sure one way or another, but whatever that amount may be, it does not affect my system, and never has affected any system I have ever used, in terms of causing any real problems for me.
 
Bob Bone
 
 

Whatever Bob...I had not realised/forgotten??  though, that tsr scripts had been available prior to 3.x and indeed in pure DOS environments...
However your last comment but whatever that amount may be, it does not affect my system, and never has affected any system I have ever used, in terms of causing any real problems for me.
....gets to the nub though, and illustrates why you probably should not have bothered to participate in this thread.
The intent of which (the thread) was merely a simple heads-up for those who may be running systems that are close to the margins and wondering why they are getting glitches when using RAM based VSTs. Just another thing to check. It really didn't need an inquisition which really only served the purpose of self-aggrandisement. Sorry to be blunt, but it is the best way to be imo.

I did not mean to start a debate, and regret having gotten into one.
 
I actually agree with you that for anybody this affects, your information may prove quite helpful.
 
I typed myself into a lengthy post that I didn't need to - the only gist of my ealier point was that I had recalled TSR to have shown up back in the DOS days, but really so what - I could have skipped all that and should have, but didn't.
 
Sorry about that, - yes it may be one more thing to check for folks who are running into memory problems with marginal systems.  :)
 
Bob Bone