CS3 applications slow to quit

Question

When I quit a CS application (or use Shut Down) my CS Suite apps are very slow to quit. Shut Down often cancels, reporting that "Application A" is not closing. If I wait these apps will eventually close, it can take several minutes each though.
I usually have Pshop, InDesign, Illus, Acrobat and Dreamweaver running all day, bouncing between them. I work in print design so my files can
be large, Pshops are often 300 Mb, InDesign files are usually 10 to 80 Mbs.
Hardware is a Macbook Pro, 2.4 Ghz, 2 MB ram OSX 10.5.4(I've also had the problem with my Macbook Pro, 2.4 Ghz, 4 MB ram OSX 10.4)
Anyone have a fix or reason why?

Answer 1

It seems to me that InDesign is the slowest application to quit of any on my computers. It is just about impossible to complete a Restart if InDesign is running when I initiate it.
I think it has to do with the way that InDesign releases virtual memory. It doesn't seem to have a "That's it, I'm out of here" algorithm. Rather it uses a "Remember this parcel of memory? You can have it back now. -- Ooh thanks a bunch, ducky" approach where that exchange occurs sometimes hundreds of times, depending on what you have been doing before the quit (or restart).
To see it happening, launch Activity Monitor before quitting from InDesign and watch the fun as the VM edges its way back to the point where quitting can actually happen. However, this will only be worth doing if you've been pushing InDesign for an hour or two. If you just fire it up and then quit, it's gone in the blink of an eye.
Dave