Task killer

[rickwhoo]

You should not use any task killers on the X.

[demmo86rt]

Why don't you explain why to all the good folks at home?  Otherwise, this post really isn't very useful.

[crb79]

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rickwhoo wrote:

You should not use any task killers on the X.

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I use ATK and it works well.  Sure some services restart but I can get 15hours off charger with 80% battery remaining.

 It may be more of a habit for me, but when I am done with an app I like to close it.  Many apps don't have an "exit" option so ATK works great for cleaning those up.  Sure I could go into the Froyo app manager, but 2 taps of the screen is simpler than multiple taps and seaching through menus.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  I've been using ATK and I get FANFREAKINGTASTIC battery life and snappy screen response, so while some may argue it isn't necessary I'm quite happy with the results. 

[rickwhoo]

Read this

In response to the vast amount of questions regarding Task Killers, I find this to be a valuable article/video in making a determination in whether or not to use a task killer on 'auto-kill' or manually killing apps just because they're open. A task killer is meant to shut down unresponsive apps, not EVERYTHING open.

Good explanation of how the Android OS is designed to handle applications.

Make your decision from there

PLEASE READ THIS!!!

*from the developer who designed System Panel.

" Please read this section FIRST. There are a great many misconceptions about how Android works with regard to
starting and stopping applications.

How to Use a Task Manager
Android was designed from the ground up as an operating system (OS) for mobile devices. Its built-in application and memory-management systems were engineered with battery life as one of the most critical concerns.
The Android OS does not work like a desktop operating system. On a desktop OS, like Windows, Mac OS X, or Ubuntu Linux, the user is responsible for closing programs in order to keep a reasonable amount of memory available. On Android, this is not the case. The OS itself automatically removes programs from memory as memory is needed. The OS may also preload applications into memory which it thinks might soon be needed.
Having lots of available empty memory is not a good thing. It takes the same amount of power to hold "nothing" in memory as it does to hold actual data. So, like every other operating system in use today, Android does its best to keep as much important/likely-to-be-used information in memory as possible.
As such, using the task manager feature of SystemPanel to constantly clear memory by killing all apps is strongly NOT RECOMMENDED. This also applies to any other task killer / management program. Generally speaking, you should only "End" applications if you see one which is not working correctly. The "End All" feature can be used if your phone/device is performing poorly and you are uncertain of the cause.

Process Types
The SystemPanel process listing groups applications into three categories: "Active", "Inactive", and "Internal":

• Active applications are actually running at the present time on the device. An active application may be running in the background and not have any information currently displayed on the screen.
• Inactive applications have been preloaded into memory, but are not actually using up any system resources. Such applications will not consume any battery power whatsoever. The memory used by these applications can be immediately reclaimed should other applications require it. As such, there is no need to manually remove these applications, as you will see no tangible benefit from doing so.
• Internal applications are those which are part of the Android operating system itself. Some of these applications may be terminated manually, but they will be immediately restarted afterward by the OS."

[crb79]

rickwhoo: I've read that several times before, but it isn't the first time I've read something and seen something different in the real world.

[crb79]

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rickwhoo wrote:

Read this

.............

*from the developer who designed System Panel.

.........

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So something just didn't sit right in my head about this quote and I kept having ideas about reading this on Androidforums rather than any press release or such.  So I decided to do a little digging and what do you know.....

The Quote you have incorrectly used to base your argument is a quote from an App developer, not an Android OS developer, or phone developer.  It is their instructions on how to properly use the System Panel app which they created for the Android Market.

Using Google to investigate your bias: Free.  Attempting to force your opinion on others without any explanation: Free.  Actually reading and understanding your references/sources before blindly cutting and pasting: PRICELESS!

[rickwhoo]

Bottom line, task killers should not be used an the X. Their are more people that know they are bad than a few like you.

[crb79]

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rickwhoo wrote:

Bottom line, task killers should not be used an the X. Their are more people that know they are bad than a few like you.

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Just like the world was flat, and Doctors bled their patients when they were sick.  

Unlike you think, there are actually more people who think for themselves and try things out before believing what is said.  

Have you even used a task killer/manager?

[rickwhoo]

Have you even used a task killer/manager?

I have used some, and when I did my battery would not last more than 12 hours. Without them, I get a good 24-36 hours from my battery.

[rickwhoo]

This was from the developers of android who say this. All I know is without task killers, I get almost 2 days of battery use on my X.

[crb79]

With ATK and other settings I have taken the phone off the charger day 1) 5:30 am, went to bed 11pm with 70%. plugged into an unplugged charger, went to work the next day and ended day 2 at 7pm with 30% battery remaining.   Before ATK I was ending hitting 7pm on day 1 with 40% charge.  So again, some things in writing don't equate to what is seen in real life.  

I have posted my usage and % several times before and it's clear I'm using my phone during the periods I have referenced.

Ford says my explorer is supposed to get 14/17mpg city/highway, I don't see 14/17 on the stock vehicle unless it's rolling down a mountain road @35mph while the throttle is at idle.  You might say apples & oranges, I'm simply stating you can't always believe what you read over what you see in real life.  Otherwise I have Ocean Front property in AZ to sell you.

[Wildman]

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crb79 wrote:

With ATK and other settings I have taken the phone off the charger day 1) 5:30 am, went to bed 11pm with 70%. plugged into an unplugged charger, went to work the next day and ended day 2 at 7pm with 30% battery remaining.   Before ATK I was ending hitting 7pm on day 1 with 40% charge.  So again, some things in writing don't equate to what is seen in real life.  

I have posted my usage and % several times before and it's clear I'm using my phone during the periods I have referenced.

Ford says my explorer is supposed to get 14/17mpg city/highway, I don't see 14/17 on the stock vehicle unless it's rolling down a mountain road @35mph while the throttle is at idle.  You might say apples & oranges, I'm simply stating you can't always believe what you read over what you see in real life.  Otherwise I have Ocean Front property in AZ to sell you.

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I agree, I have seen so many users bringing this article to light but as you know that most users simply go off what they read somewhere instead of testing the item out for them self, I have went with and without a task killer and I have verified that the device battery does last longer with a task killer than without also I have learned that when users have complained about the web going dormant and user was having issues connecting that this happens when the device hits about 38% ram left and users report the a reboot was the solution for this but if you run a task killer at this time and restore memory amount the connection works perfectly.

In a nut shell I can verify that I would disagree that a Task Killer isn't needed, everyone has their own opinion but the concept of leaving 20-30 apps open in the background will improve performance.

[demmo86rt]

So, then, your original post should be amended to state:  It is not recommended to use the autokill feature of task killers on the Droid X.

Normally, when I see a post about somebody having an issue with apps "running in the background" and constantly restarting, I usually recommend uninstalling their task killer and try to explain what you just posted.  This is because most people do not understand how to properly use them.  Originally I was using a task killer on my Eris because I saw somewhere that it was recommended and strange things started happening with my phone, like Sense having to reload every time i hit home.  I then turned off the autokill feature and things went back to normal however, I found myself obsessing over making sure all my apps were killed, with the appropriate things on the no-kill list.  After doing some research, I came across several articles like yours, as well as some respected posters in other forums stating the same information.  Eventually, I learned to ignore "apps running in the background" and then uninstalled the task killer all together.  Some people around here probably see me as a big pusher of the anti-task killer camp, but I do know that they can be useful when used properly.  Unfortunately, this debate is far to often made black and white (and I know that I have been guilty of that myself) but there really are some grey areas.  A definitive statement with zero explanation like you made in your first post is just asking for a fight and really isn't necessary.  If you feel that you are just trying to pass on some good information, include your reasoning so that people who may not be very experienced in the world of android can actually learn something.  

[rickwhoo]

Go to androidforums.com and learn alot more about this phone..

[rickwhoo]

Keep using task killers then , the developers of this phone say not to use them. I think they know better.

[crb79]

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rickwhoo wrote:
Keep using task killers then , the developers of this phone say not to use them. I think they know better.

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Thanks for allowing me to keep using task killers, that's very kind of you.  Will you also allow others to keep using it if they wish?

Also, the information you posted was released from the developer of the system panel of that particular Android OS originally dated in May of 2010 if I recall correctly, not the developers of the Droid X phone.

I have long said do whatever works best for you.  There is no developer or manufacturer in the world who can tell exactly what apps, or setup you will use.  Otherwise we'd never have a single bug or glitch on these devices.

[rickwhoo]

Just google Do I need a task killer on a droid x and you will find out that you should not use one.

[demmo86rt]

I really don't think you are going to convince these guys. They have done their own testing, know what to and not to kill and, IMO, are respected members of this community. I agree that task killers are not needed and, many times can cause problems, but, when used properly, can be a useful tool.

[crb79]

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demmo86rt wrote:
I really don't think you are going to convince these guys. They have done their own testing, know what to and not to kill and, IMO, are respected members of this community. I agree that task killers are not needed and, many times can cause problems, but, when used properly, can be a useful tool.

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      I agree with you here demmo, someone blindly task killing everything without setting up exempt services, etc, could definitely cause some issues.  

      I don't refute that someone else could get great battery life without a task killer.  I do know from my own personal experience that I get excellent battery life while using ATK.  I get acceptable battery life without it, but there is a noticeable difference.

I think this whole thread sums up who should and should not be taken at their word.  I say if someone is having a horrible issue with their battery life, give one a try.  If it works for you, GREAT, if not uninstall it and keep looking for solutions.

I think it's plain silly to approach a topic like this in the fashion that has been done.  This comes across as a "Because I said so" type of thing.  If you truly want to point out the dangers of a task killer, go for it.  There are indeed dangers, but if you are doing nothing more than trying to be a Google Parrot, save it.

[rickwhoo]

I have done alot of reading about this and I'm convinced that task killers should not be used. I don't care what these guys say or think, its been proven that task killers are not good.

[Wildman]

Like any subject, if you plan to find negative feedback and then again if you want positive responses you can find those easily enough also but it you have not attempted to use one for yourself the point of if you should and shouldn't is pretty much a rumor.  I have used one for some time with no issues at all and also if you investigate feature a number of those articles where posted a while back and technology changes to fast to trust a review from anyone that hasn't tested the software themselves and also I do not get why you care to voice a opinion so strongly on something you never used....

I respect you option to not use one but this subject has really been beat to death in the past, just read through past post...