diff --git a/CPUMeter.c b/CPUMeter.c
index 53fad310..363da6ac 100644
--- a/CPUMeter.c
+++ b/CPUMeter.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void CPUMeter_setValues(Meter* this, char* buffer, int size) {
 void CPUMeter_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    char buffer[50];
    Meter* this = (Meter*)cast;
-   RichString_prune(out);
+   RichString_init(out);
    sprintf(buffer, "%5.1f%% ", this->values[1]);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[METER_TEXT], ":");
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[CPU_NORMAL], buffer);
diff --git a/Hashtable.c b/Hashtable.c
index f971c8c2..30218a52 100644
--- a/Hashtable.c
+++ b/Hashtable.c
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ in the source distribution for its full text.
 typedef struct Hashtable_ Hashtable;
 
 typedef void(*Hashtable_PairFunction)(int, void*, void*);
-typedef int(*Hashtable_HashAlgorithm)(Hashtable*, int);
 
 typedef struct HashtableItem {
    int key;
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@ struct Hashtable_ {
    int size;
    HashtableItem** buckets;
    int items;
-   Hashtable_HashAlgorithm hashAlgorithm;
    bool owner;
 };
 }*/
@@ -49,15 +47,10 @@ Hashtable* Hashtable_new(int size, bool owner) {
    this = (Hashtable*) malloc(sizeof(Hashtable));
    this->size = size;
    this->buckets = (HashtableItem**) calloc(sizeof(HashtableItem*), size);
-   this->hashAlgorithm = Hashtable_hashAlgorithm;
    this->owner = owner;
    return this;
 }
 
-int Hashtable_hashAlgorithm(Hashtable* this, int key) {
-   return key % this->size;
-}
-
 void Hashtable_delete(Hashtable* this) {
    for (int i = 0; i < this->size; i++) {
       HashtableItem* walk = this->buckets[i];
@@ -78,7 +71,7 @@ inline int Hashtable_size(Hashtable* this) {
 }
 
 void Hashtable_put(Hashtable* this, int key, void* value) {
-   int index = this->hashAlgorithm(this, key);
+   int index = key % this->size;
    HashtableItem** bucketPtr = &(this->buckets[index]);
    while (true)
       if (*bucketPtr == NULL) {
@@ -95,7 +88,7 @@ void Hashtable_put(Hashtable* this, int key, void* value) {
 }
 
 void* Hashtable_remove(Hashtable* this, int key) {
-   int index = this->hashAlgorithm(this, key);
+   int index = key % this->size;
    HashtableItem** bucketPtr = &(this->buckets[index]);
    while (true)
       if (*bucketPtr == NULL) {
@@ -118,7 +111,7 @@ void* Hashtable_remove(Hashtable* this, int key) {
 }
 //#include <stdio.h>
 inline void* Hashtable_get(Hashtable* this, int key) {
-   int index = this->hashAlgorithm(this, key);
+   int index = key % this->size;
    HashtableItem* bucketPtr = this->buckets[index];
    // fprintf(stderr, "%d -> %d\n", key, index);
    while (true) {
diff --git a/Hashtable.h b/Hashtable.h
index a5f2434d..df481f2d 100644
--- a/Hashtable.h
+++ b/Hashtable.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ in the source distribution for its full text.
 typedef struct Hashtable_ Hashtable;
 
 typedef void(*Hashtable_PairFunction)(int, void*, void*);
-typedef int(*Hashtable_HashAlgorithm)(Hashtable*, int);
 
 typedef struct HashtableItem {
    int key;
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ struct Hashtable_ {
    int size;
    HashtableItem** buckets;
    int items;
-   Hashtable_HashAlgorithm hashAlgorithm;
    bool owner;
 };
 
@@ -38,8 +36,6 @@ HashtableItem* HashtableItem_new(int key, void* value);
 
 Hashtable* Hashtable_new(int size, bool owner);
 
-int Hashtable_hashAlgorithm(Hashtable* this, int key);
-
 void Hashtable_delete(Hashtable* this);
 
 inline int Hashtable_size(Hashtable* this);
diff --git a/LoadAverageMeter.c b/LoadAverageMeter.c
index 1fbfd4ac..ab06bebd 100644
--- a/LoadAverageMeter.c
+++ b/LoadAverageMeter.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void LoadAverageMeter_setValues(Meter* this, char* buffer, int size) {
 void LoadAverageMeter_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    Meter* this = (Meter*)cast;
    char buffer[20];
-   RichString_prune(out);
+   RichString_init(out);
    sprintf(buffer, "%.2f ", this->values[2]);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[LOAD_AVERAGE_FIFTEEN], buffer);
    sprintf(buffer, "%.2f ", this->values[1]);
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void LoadMeter_setValues(Meter* this, char* buffer, int size) {
 void LoadMeter_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    Meter* this = (Meter*)cast;
    char buffer[20];
-   RichString_prune(out);
+   RichString_init(out);
    sprintf(buffer, "%.2f ", ((Meter*)this)->values[0]);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[LOAD], buffer);
 }
diff --git a/MemoryMeter.c b/MemoryMeter.c
index a0498f51..617fc521 100644
--- a/MemoryMeter.c
+++ b/MemoryMeter.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void MemoryMeter_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    long int usedMem = this->values[0] / div;
    long int buffersMem = this->values[1] / div;
    long int cachedMem = this->values[2] / div;
-   RichString_prune(out);
+   RichString_init(out);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[METER_TEXT], ":");
    sprintf(buffer, format, totalMem);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[METER_VALUE], buffer);
diff --git a/Meter.c b/Meter.c
index 1d447f87..0e9ef05f 100644
--- a/Meter.c
+++ b/Meter.c
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ static inline void Meter_displayToStringBuffer(Meter* this, char* buffer) {
    if (display) {
       display((Object*)this, &Meter_stringBuffer);
    } else {
-      RichString_prune(&Meter_stringBuffer);
+      RichString_initVal(Meter_stringBuffer);
       RichString_append(&Meter_stringBuffer, CRT_colors[type->attributes[0]], buffer);
    }
 }
diff --git a/Panel.c b/Panel.c
index fef7018b..f014fca7 100644
--- a/Panel.c
+++ b/Panel.c
@@ -96,16 +96,12 @@ void Panel_init(Panel* this, int x, int y, int w, int h, char* type, bool owner)
 
 void Panel_done(Panel* this) {
    assert (this != NULL);
-   RichString_delete(this->header);
    Vector_delete(this->items);
 }
 
 inline void Panel_setRichHeader(Panel* this, RichString header) {
    assert (this != NULL);
 
-   if (this->header.len > 0) {
-      RichString_delete(this->header);
-   }
    this->header = header;
    this->needsRedraw = true;
 }
@@ -274,7 +270,8 @@ void Panel_draw(Panel* this, bool focus) {
 
       for(int i = first, j = 0; j < this->h && i < last; i++, j++) {
          Object* itemObj = Vector_get(this->items, i);
-         RichString itemRef = RichString_new();
+         RichString itemRef;
+         RichString_initVal(itemRef);
          itemObj->display(itemObj, &itemRef);
          int amt = MIN(itemRef.len - scrollH, this->w);
          if (i == this->selected) {
@@ -296,10 +293,12 @@ void Panel_draw(Panel* this, bool focus) {
 
    } else {
       Object* oldObj = Vector_get(this->items, this->oldSelected);
-      RichString oldRef = RichString_new();
+      RichString oldRef;
+      RichString_initVal(oldRef);
       oldObj->display(oldObj, &oldRef);
       Object* newObj = Vector_get(this->items, this->selected);
-      RichString newRef = RichString_new();
+      RichString newRef;
+      RichString_initVal(newRef);
       newObj->display(newObj, &newRef);
       mvhline(y+ this->oldSelected - this->scrollV, x+0, ' ', this->w);
       if (scrollH < oldRef.len)
diff --git a/Process.c b/Process.c
index 7707a1a1..9d5e0aa1 100644
--- a/Process.c
+++ b/Process.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ void Process_delete(Object* cast) {
 void Process_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    Process* this = (Process*) cast;
    ProcessField* fields = this->pl->fields;
-   RichString_prune(out);
+   RichString_init(out);
    for (int i = 0; fields[i]; i++)
       Process_writeField(this, out, fields[i]);
    if (this->pl->shadowOtherUsers && this->st_uid != getuid())
diff --git a/ProcessList.c b/ProcessList.c
index d6984568..c2c6433c 100644
--- a/ProcessList.c
+++ b/ProcessList.c
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ ProcessList* ProcessList_new(UsersTable* usersTable) {
    ProcessList* this;
    this = malloc(sizeof(ProcessList));
    this->processes = Vector_new(PROCESS_CLASS, true, DEFAULT_SIZE, Process_compare);
-   this->processTable = Hashtable_new(20, false);
+   this->processTable = Hashtable_new(70, false);
    this->prototype = Process_new(this);
    this->usersTable = usersTable;
    
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ void ProcessList_invertSortOrder(ProcessList* this) {
 }
 
 RichString ProcessList_printHeader(ProcessList* this) {
-   RichString out = RichString_new();
+   RichString out;
+   RichString_init(&out);
    ProcessField* fields = this->fields;
    for (int i = 0; fields[i]; i++) {
       char* field = Process_printField(fields[i]);
@@ -505,31 +506,9 @@ void ProcessList_processEntries(ProcessList* this, char* dirname, int parent, fl
             process->pid = pid;
             if (! ProcessList_readStatusFile(this, process, dirname, name))
                goto errorReadingProcess;
-            char* username = UsersTable_getRef(this->usersTable, process->st_uid);
-            if (username) {
-               strncpy(process->user, username, PROCESS_USER_LEN);
-            } else {
-               snprintf(process->user, PROCESS_USER_LEN, "%d", process->st_uid);
-            }
          }
          process->updated = true;
 
-         int lasttimes = (process->utime + process->stime);
-
-         snprintf(statusfilename, MAX_NAME, "%s/%s/stat", dirname, name);
-         
-         status = ProcessList_fopen(this, statusfilename, "r");
-         if (status == NULL) 
-            goto errorReadingProcess;
-
-         int success = ProcessList_readStatFile(this, process, status, command);
-         fclose(status);
-         if(!success)
-            goto errorReadingProcess;
-
-         process->percent_cpu = (process->utime + process->stime - lasttimes) / 
-            period * 100.0;
-
          snprintf(statusfilename, MAX_NAME, "%s/%s/statm", dirname, name);
          status = ProcessList_fopen(this, statusfilename, "r");
 
@@ -548,7 +527,27 @@ void ProcessList_processEntries(ProcessList* this, char* dirname, int parent, fl
          if (this->hideKernelThreads && process->m_size == 0)
             goto errorReadingProcess;
 
+         int lasttimes = (process->utime + process->stime);
+
+         snprintf(statusfilename, MAX_NAME, "%s/%s/stat", dirname, name);
+         
+         status = ProcessList_fopen(this, statusfilename, "r");
+         if (status == NULL) 
+            goto errorReadingProcess;
+
+         int success = ProcessList_readStatFile(this, process, status, command);
+         fclose(status);
+         if(!success)
+            goto errorReadingProcess;
+
          if(!existingProcess) {
+            char* username = UsersTable_getRef(this->usersTable, process->st_uid);
+            if (username) {
+               strncpy(process->user, username, PROCESS_USER_LEN);
+            } else {
+               snprintf(process->user, PROCESS_USER_LEN, "%d", process->st_uid);
+            }
+ 
             snprintf(statusfilename, MAX_NAME, "%s/%s/cmdline", dirname, name);
             status = ProcessList_fopen(this, statusfilename, "r");
             if (!status) {
@@ -567,6 +566,9 @@ void ProcessList_processEntries(ProcessList* this, char* dirname, int parent, fl
             fclose(status);
          }
 
+         process->percent_cpu = (process->utime + process->stime - lasttimes) / 
+            period * 100.0;
+
          process->percent_mem = process->m_resident / 
             (float)(this->usedMem - this->cachedMem - this->buffersMem) * 
             100.0;
diff --git a/RichString.c b/RichString.c
index 1ee22bfa..3bdc82b4 100644
--- a/RichString.c
+++ b/RichString.c
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 
 /*{
 
+#define RichString_init(this) (this)->len = 0
+#define RichString_initVal(this) (this).len = 0
+
 typedef struct RichString_ {
    int len;
    chtype chstr[RICHSTRING_MAXLEN+1];
@@ -23,23 +26,8 @@ typedef struct RichString_ {
 #define MIN(a,b) ((a)<(b)?(a):(b))
 #endif
 
-static WINDOW* workArea = NULL;
-
-RichString RichString_new() {
-   RichString this;
-   this.len = 0;
-   return this;
-}
-
-void RichString_delete(RichString this) {
-}
-
-void RichString_prune(RichString* this) {
-   this->len = 0;
-}
-
 void RichString_write(RichString* this, int attrs, char* data) {
-   this->len = 0;
+   RichString_init(this);
    RichString_append(this, attrs, data);
 }
 
@@ -48,35 +36,32 @@ inline void RichString_append(RichString* this, int attrs, char* data) {
 }
 
 inline void RichString_appendn(RichString* this, int attrs, char* data, int len) {
-   if (!workArea) {
-      workArea = newpad(1, RICHSTRING_MAXLEN);
-   }
-   assert(workArea);
-   wattrset(workArea, attrs);
-   int maxToWrite = (RICHSTRING_MAXLEN - 1) - this->len;
-   int wrote = MIN(maxToWrite, len);
-   mvwaddnstr(workArea, 0, 0, data, maxToWrite);
-   int oldstrlen = this->len;
-   this->len += wrote;
-   mvwinchnstr(workArea, 0, 0, this->chstr + oldstrlen, wrote);
-   wattroff(workArea, attrs);
+   int last = MIN(RICHSTRING_MAXLEN - 1, len + this->len);
+   for (int i = this->len, j = 0; i < last; i++, j++)
+      this->chstr[i] = data[j] | attrs;
+   this->chstr[last] = 0;
+   this->len = last;
 }
 
 void RichString_setAttr(RichString *this, int attrs) {
+   chtype* ch = this->chstr;
    for (int i = 0; i < this->len; i++) {
-      char c = this->chstr[i];
-      this->chstr[i] = c | attrs;
+      *ch = (*ch & 0xff) | attrs;
+      ch++;
    }
 }
 
 void RichString_applyAttr(RichString *this, int attrs) {
-   for (int i = 0; i < this->len - 1; i++) {
-      this->chstr[i] |= attrs;
+   chtype* ch = this->chstr;
+   for (int i = 0; i < this->len; i++) {
+      *ch |= attrs;
+      ch++;
    }
 }
 
 RichString RichString_quickString(int attrs, char* data) {
-   RichString str = RichString_new();
+   RichString str;
+   RichString_initVal(str);
    RichString_write(&str, attrs, data);
    return str;
 }
diff --git a/RichString.h b/RichString.h
index 64ad7aff..1f486781 100644
--- a/RichString.h
+++ b/RichString.h
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 #define RICHSTRING_MAXLEN 300
 
 
+#define RichString_init(this) (this)->len = 0
+#define RichString_initVal(this) (this).len = 0
+
 typedef struct RichString_ {
    int len;
    chtype chstr[RICHSTRING_MAXLEN+1];
@@ -24,12 +27,6 @@ typedef struct RichString_ {
 #define MIN(a,b) ((a)<(b)?(a):(b))
 #endif
 
-RichString RichString_new();
-
-void RichString_delete(RichString this);
-
-void RichString_prune(RichString* this);
-
 void RichString_write(RichString* this, int attrs, char* data);
 
 inline void RichString_append(RichString* this, int attrs, char* data);
diff --git a/SwapMeter.c b/SwapMeter.c
index b66197e1..e7f827be 100644
--- a/SwapMeter.c
+++ b/SwapMeter.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ void SwapMeter_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    char buffer[50];
    Meter* this = (Meter*)cast;
    long int swap = (long int) this->values[0];
-   RichString_prune(out);
+   RichString_init(out);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[METER_TEXT], ":");
    sprintf(buffer, "%ldM ", (long int) this->total / 1024);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[METER_VALUE], buffer);
diff --git a/TasksMeter.c b/TasksMeter.c
index 9766ddfa..5b99432f 100644
--- a/TasksMeter.c
+++ b/TasksMeter.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ void TasksMeter_setValues(Meter* this, char* buffer, int len) {
 
 void TasksMeter_display(Object* cast, RichString* out) {
    Meter* this = (Meter*)cast;
-   RichString_prune(out);
+   RichString_init(out);
    char buffer[20];
    sprintf(buffer, "%d", (int)this->total);
    RichString_append(out, CRT_colors[METER_VALUE], buffer);