Do you ever delete your old apps?

[ayeying]

I noticed, ever since the switch to OSX from windows, I don't delete any of my old applications installed in the Applications Folder. It's getting huge but I haven't seen a big performance drop so I never bothered cleaning it. On every system I switch from, I just migrate over the entire drive.

I'm reaching upwards of 300 apps in the folder starting from my first Black MacBook back in 2007.

 

[GGJstudios]

They only take up disc space unless you launch them, so there's no harm in keeping them.

 

[Mal]

I've done purges on rare occasions, when I needed disk space, but since they rarely take up much space, it's often been less than useful. I usually just leave them and forget them for a while, then stumble on them sometime later and find a use for them.

jW

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

I only ever install something if I have a very good reason to have it around, and on rare occasion I purge my system and pretty much reconfigure things from the ground up (except for importing certain preferences and libraries). Although my Mac is pretty much on around the clock for work, it, and its applications folder, are actually quite simple.

 

[Sydde]

They only take up disc space unless you launch them, so there's no harm in keeping them.

Most but not quite entirely true. Some apps living in /Applications provide items for the Services submenu, even when they are not running. This uses almost no space and is really only an issue if you use the Services menu a lot and want less stuff to navigate past. Applications living outside /Applications are entirely harmless.

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

Most but not quite entirely true. Some apps living in /Applications provide items for the Services submenu, even when they are not running. This uses almost no space and is really only an issue if you use the Services menu a lot and want less stuff to navigate past. Applications living outside /Applications are entirely harmless.

Or more specifically, the only thing that matters is what elements of those apps (e.g. plugins, extensions) remain running while those apps are otherwise being ignored, and in this regard it doesn't really matter where they are installed. The only time space starts matters is when you're short enough of it that OS X can't use its swap files efficiently.

 

[samh]

They only take up disc space unless you launch them, so there's no harm in keeping them.

All due respect to Sydde, but this is not true at all. They take up disc space by virtue of being installed on the disc.

However, unless they have some kind of background process or are run at startup, they are not using system resources like CPU or RAM (memory).

That said, having 300 apps in my Applications folder would drive me nuts, and I tend to get rid of or archive away those things I do not use (or no longer use). I don't like to feel pressed-in-on by clutter, even digital clutter.

 

[nathanielonfire]

All due respect to Sydde, but this is not true at all. They take up disc space by virtue of being installed on the disc.

However, unless they have some kind of background process or are run at startup, they are not using system resources like CPU or RAM (memory).

I'm pretty sure that's what GGJstudios said. Unless the programs are launched, they just sit there and take up disk space.

 

[GGJstudios]

Most but not quite entirely true. Some apps living in /Applications provide items for the Services submenu, even when they are not running.

Apps do not use any system resources by simply appearing on the Services submenu. They have to be selected to launch, when they do use system resources.

Or more specifically, the only thing that matters is what elements of those apps (e.g. plugins, extensions) remain running while those apps are otherwise being ignored, and in this regard it doesn't really matter where they are installed.

And if an element of an app is running, it is considered "launched", even if the whole app is not running.

All due respect to Sydde, but this is not true at all. They take up disc space by virtue of being installed on the disc.

Yes, I said that they take up disc space.

However, unless they have some kind of background process or are run at startup, they are not using system resources like CPU or RAM (memory).

Yes, I said that, too, that unless you launch them, they only take up disc space.

I'll try to make it easier to understand:

If you don't have an app, or any component of the app, currently running, it will only take up disc space and will use no other system resources. The fact that the name of the app or one of its components simply appears on a Services submenu, or in a Finder display of the Applications folder, or any other menu or listing, does not mean the app, or any component is running. If the app or any of its components is running, it means that app or component has been launched.

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

And if an element of an app is running, it is considered "launched", even if the whole app is not running.

Was there a point? Or were you just sharing some information for the sake of sharing information?
In terms of relevance to my point, all that matters is what is running, whether it be a component of an application or the entire program.

 

[Sydde]

Apps do not use any system resources by simply appearing on the Services submenu. They have to be selected to launch, when they do use system resources.

Strictly speaking, no (except for a few bytes for the menu strings). However, on the basis of ergonomics, if you use the Services menu with any regularity (I use it very infrequently), having fewer entries in it (only functions you are likely to use) makes it quicker easier to navigate to the one you want.

The OP mused about deleting apps, I merely offered one consideration on the matter.

 

[GGJstudios]

The OP mused about deleting apps, I merely offered one consideration on the matter.

It was a bit more than that:

They only take up disc space unless you launch them, so there's no harm in keeping them.

Most but not quite entirely true.

My statement was entirely true. There is no harm in keeping them. While you might find it more inconvenient to have more menu items to choose from, it's not harmful, and they use no system resources if such apps aren't running... they only take up disc space.