According to jiho@postal.c-zone.net:
>
>The X server gains 8K in its RSS across each interation.  No other programs
>undergo any change.  The net result is that about 320K (give or take a 4K page)
>is being lost from the free list to the active list on each iteration.  This
>amount will vary depending on the data fed the client, but it will become
>consistent for any given set of data.  I call this a leak because the client
>has exited, and the memory at issue cannot be found associated with any other
>program.
>

As others have said, this is a X problem not freeing memory allocated
by the clients.  The X server is well known for growing like this,
especially when you play with images a lot.

>I am unable to use ddb in this situation, because although I can switch VTs to
>enter ddb, once leaving ddb there is no way to get back to the X desktop.
>

Not true.  On my i386 box the F5 key cycles through the VT's - if you
keep cycling around you will eventually hit the X server.

-- 
Brett Lymn, Computer Systems Administrator, British Aerospace Australia
===============================================================================
  +++ Divide By Cucumber Error.  Please Reinstall Universe And Reboot +++
  - Hogfather, Terry Pratchett.