Confused about RAM requirements

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I have asked these questions on a couple computer forums and I don't understand the answers. Perhaps someone here can answer these questions in a way I'll understand.

First, what does it mean when software requires a certain amount of RAM, like 128 MB? It doesn't mean it uses 128 MB, right? It could use a lot less, right? So why say it requires that much?

I'd also like to know how it is that Software "A" requires more RAM than Software "B" but uses less system resources. How does that work, because it doesn't make sense to me.

Let's say Software "A" requires 192 MB RAM and Software "B" requires at least 64 MB RAM, but preferably 128 MB. But Software "A" supposedly uses less system resources. How can that be when Software "A" requires more RAM?

Am I misunderstanding something? I really need to understand this.

It depends on the software (the RAM requirements). Photoshop for example is a hog, it'll use all the available RAM to work. Other programs require less RAM because they are not (that) memory intensive, but sometimes they are CPU intensive (like 3ds max).

The minimum required RAM is to ensure you'll be able to work with the program without (hopefully) any hiccups.

^

Your av is freaking scary computerlove.

And using less 'resources' is vauge. As is the term resources. It can mean RAM, CPU, GPU, Swap or HDD... the list goes on. Resources basically is like a car. Yea, you know you use gas to get somewhere. We'll call that RAM. But how much tire tread do you use? How much of the seat foam? How much of the alternators remaining life? That's all just 'resources'. A programme that uses the least number of resources is not so much one doing the least with your computer, it's the one spreading the work the most evenly.

The minimum requirements are chosen by the software company that wrote the software. They can use any method they want, including choosing numbers out of a hat or consulting a PHB who doesn't understand the question. Mostly, though, they test it out and figure out how much it needs to run reasonably well, and then pick a round number close to that. So if it takes 20-100MB, depending on how you use it, they'll say it requires 128MB. Of course, the OS will take up some of the memory in the system too, so that's why you see different requirements for different OS's sometimes.

It's more meant to keep people from trying to run it on obsolete hardware that can't handle it, than to be an accurate measurement of anything.

Oh boy! I'm still not understanding it. Basically, I need to switch antivirus software. My computer has 512 MB RAM. My current AV software has a RAM requirement of 32 MB but will be expiring soon. The two that I'm looking at require 192 MB (Avira Antivir free) and 64 MB but 128 recommended (Avast free). I want the one that will use less RAM and CPU usage. I'd really rather not test them each out on my computer, I don't have time for that anyway.

Heres a new amy winehouse for you computerlove

Another vote for AVG *thumbs up*

@spudnik: thanks for the avatar!

Software requirements usually refer to your system, so when an anti-virus says that it requires 128 MB of RAM, it means that if you have less than a total of 128 MB in your system your computer might be unusable with the antivirus running. Most systems will start using the hard-drive as extra RAM when they are running low. So if you run out of RAM, your programs will usually just start running slower than they should (hard-drive is slower than RAM). Also, programs don't use any RAM when they are not running, but since an AntiVirus should be always running you can think of it as using up the RAM permanently. If you don't play 3D games or use other memory intensive programs you might not even notice, theres a good chance that you don't even use half of your 512 MB. As long as there is enough memory left for what you want to do, your computer won't have to use the slower hard-drive memory as much.

If you do have a program that uses alot of memory and runs slow because it doesn't have enough, you can shutdown all other programs (including anti-virus) while you run it, and restart your a/v when you are done (most viruses come from the internet, so if you are not using the net, you don't have to worry much). RAM is usually an easy/inexpensive upgrade if you use alot of it.