croy <
croy@spam.invalid.net> wrote:
As I fumble along with my first-ever "smart" phone (Moto G5 Plus;
Android), I have managed to install Google Earth, and it seems
useable. But when I'm thru with it, I can't see any way to close it.
If I simply motor back to the home screen, and the next day open GE
again, it's right where I left it in the world. So is it on
constantly? Any way to shut it down when I'm done with it?
Unlike Windows and Linux, Android does not close (exit) programs when
their windows are closed. Closing a program removes its window, but
leaves it running in the background. The OS will unload the
backgrounded process when its memory is needed to load a new program aka
OOM (Out Of Memory) optimizing.
https://developer.android.com/topic/performance/memory-management
Android operates under the premise that unused memory is wasted memory,
so it attempts to use all of memory all the time.
Some programs have their own Exit or Quit menu option to actually unload
the program. For example, Chrome does not, but Firefox has Quit in its
menu that actually unloads (exits) the app. There are task killer apps
that unload programs, but too often they are ineffective or incorrect.
Their users will complain a killed background program resurrects itself.
It was designated a sticky app or a service. If the OS sees it is not
running, it restarts it. There are background processes you should not
unload. And some you unload are reloaded by another process. At one
time, I use Ashampoo's Droid Optimizer, but eventually dumped it.
If you enable Developer Options mode on your phone (do an online search
on "enable developer mode <yourbrand> <yourmodel>"), there is a
"Background process limit" option. You can lower how many backgrounded processes are allowed from standard (20 processes) or 0 to 4. The lower
the limit, the less apps will remain loaded in background, but that also
means some apps will become slow to load as you often have to reload it
afresh. I haven't played with this setting, but 0 (zero) seems it might
mean any app you close its window will get unloaded, so you can only run
1 program (foreground) at a time.
https://www.gadgetsnow.com/how-to/how-to-make-your-smartphone-run-faster-by-limiting-background-process-limit/articleshow/70557178.cms
Keeping processes loaded in the background is how Android pretends it is
faster than it is. Instead of putting the pistols and rifles back in
the gun safe, you carry them on shoulder straps and belt holsters ready
for immediate use.
I don't have the Google Earth app. Did you look in its menu options to
see if it has a Quit or Exit option to actually unload it? If not, you
can go into Android's settings -> App, pick an app, and see if there is
a Force Stop button, or use a task killer app to do the same. In
Android, closing the window is not the same as exiting the app in other operating systems.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)