diff --git a/forensics/mxvmem b/forensics/mxvmem
index 7b33b36..3f4634f 100755
--- a/forensics/mxvmem
+++ b/forensics/mxvmem
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@ class ProcFsHandler():
 
 class ProcMemClassifier(Classifier):
 
+  keys = ('DZT','S','R','dzt','s','r')
+
   def maxMem(self):
     m = max(k[1].val for k in self)
     return m
@@ -291,7 +293,6 @@ class ProcMemClassifier(Classifier):
     # 10 for the user, 12 is default width for the number,
     #  2 for fillers and such, 2 for the border
     bar_width = width - 10 - 12 - 2 - 2
-    keys = ('DZT','S','R','dzt','s','r')
     ret = list()
 
     for k in self:
@@ -299,7 +300,7 @@ class ProcMemClassifier(Classifier):
       mtot = k[1].val
       bar  = ' %-10s' % str(user)[:9] + '|'
       nused = 0
-      for key in keys:
+      for key in self.keys:
         if key in k[1].fld:
           ks = k[1].fld[key]
           n = int(ks.val/scmax * bar_width)
@@ -318,6 +319,27 @@ class ProcMemClassifier(Classifier):
 
     return ret
 
+  def summaryStrings(self):
+    '''
+    returns a string array for condensed display:
+      string has 3 components:  'user memory states'
+    '''
+    ret = list()
+
+    for k in self:
+      states = ''
+      user = k[0]
+      mtot = k[1].val
+      line = '  %-10s' % str(user)[:9] + ':'
+      line += sep_fmt12(k[1].val)
+      for key in self.keys:
+        if key in k[1].fld:
+          states += key[0]
+      line += ' : [' + states + ']'
+      ret.append((user, mtot, line))
+
+    return ret
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------- tools
 
 def register_logs(logdir):
@@ -381,6 +403,8 @@ def handle_args():
      help='location of forensics logs (/var/log)')
   ap.add_argument('-p', dest='readproc',
      help='read current data from proc', action='store_true')
+  ap.add_argument('-s', dest='summary',
+     help='print short summary', action='store_true')
   ap.add_argument('forensicsfile', metavar='file', nargs='?',
      help='forensics file (defaults to most recent log found)')
   return ap.parse_args()
@@ -444,17 +468,24 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
            100 * pmc.getval()/whs.memtotal )
        )
 
-  maxmem_used = pmc.maxMem()
-  cols, lines = get_term_size()
+  if args.summary:
+
+    for i in sorted(pmc.summaryStrings(), key=lambda L: L[1], reverse=True):
+      print(i[2])
+
+  else:
+
+    cols, lines = get_term_size()
+    maxmem_used = pmc.maxMem()
 
-  print(' USER    ', '*** OLD/young processes ***'.center(cols-23) , 'Amount [kb]')
+    print(' USER    ', '*** OLD/young processes ***'.center(cols-23) , 'Amount [kb]')
 
-  mem_bars = pmc.barStrings(maxmem_used, cols)
-  limit = lines-11 if not args.allentries else len(mem_bars)
-  for i in sorted(mem_bars, key=lambda L: L[1], reverse=True)[:limit]:
-    print(i[2])
+    mem_bars = pmc.barStrings(maxmem_used, cols)
+    limit = lines-11 if not args.allentries else len(mem_bars)
+    for i in sorted(mem_bars, key=lambda L: L[1], reverse=True)[:limit]:
+      print(i[2])
 
-  print('*** R = running, S = sleeping, D = deep sleep, zombie, or debugged ***'.center(cols))
+    print('*** R = running, S = sleeping, D = deep sleep, zombie, or debugged ***'.center(cols))
 
   print()