/proc/meminfo behaviour...

[Jarrett L. Redd]

Guys, is this normal?

# head -2 /proc/meminfo
         total:    used:    free:  shared: buffers:  cached:
Mem:  193830912 76816384 117014528        0   425984 72572928
                          ^^^^^^^^^
# sleep 1
# head -2 /proc/meminfo
         total:    used:    free:  shared: buffers:  cached:
Mem:  193830912 76869632 116961280        0   430080 72609792
                          ^^^^^^^^^
#

This is on a PC with no swap and no disk, booting off an initrd stored 
on a compact flash.  I can understand that while sleep is running, the 
amount of free memory is reduced.  Why does the number stay reduced even 
after it is done running?  No matter how long you wait, the number never 
comes back up.  Is the memory really gone or is there something I don't 
understand about /proc/meminfo?  Or does this have something to do with 
the ramdisk?  Thanks.

-Jarrett Redd