Abstract: A user interface and scheme is provided for facilitating shutting down an operating system. Aspects include the operating system receiving a command to initiate shut down, and automatically terminating graphical user interface (GUI) applications that delay shut down which do not have top level windows. Also, aspects provide a user, through a graphical user interface, the ability to automatically terminate all running applications in response to determining that a running GUI application has a top level window.

Abstract: A data buffering storage circuit automatically allocates a portion of shared storage area to the direction in which data buffering is required. This scheme allows use of fewer parts on a piece of networking hardware, which in turn lowers the cost, simplifies the design, and uses existing on-board memory in a more efficient manner. In at least one embodiment, a first area is allocated to the buffering of a first port of a network switch, a second memory area is allocated to the buffering of a second port of the network switch, and a third area is shared among the buffering of the first port and the buffering of the second port.