diff --git a/forensics/mxvmem b/forensics/mxvmem
index 528873f..27e2143 100755
--- a/forensics/mxvmem
+++ b/forensics/mxvmem
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
 '''
    show memory consumption per user
 
-   The script reads conserved or live information from the /proc
-   directory and shows memory consumption per user.
+   The script analyses actual or recorded memory usage on the
+   host where it is run.
 
-   The default is to read the most recent forensics dump found in
-   /var/log. When called with the '-p' option, data is collected
-   from /proc.
+   The default is to read the information live from the /proc
+   directory. When called with the '-c' option, /var/log is
+   searched for the most recent forensics dump.
 
    Setting the FORENSICS_STORE environment variable overrides the
    default directory where the forensics logs are searched.
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
    History:
    13.10.2022, created, Kreitler
+   08.05.2024, default to reading the state 'live'
 
 '''
 
@@ -415,14 +416,14 @@ def handle_args():
      help="show documentation", action='store_true')
   ap.add_argument("-a", dest='allentries',
      help='print all entries, makes you scroll, helps when piping', action='store_true')
+  ap.add_argument('-c', dest='readconserved',
+     help='read data from a conserved forensics dump', action='store_true')
   ap.add_argument("-d", dest='logdir', metavar='dir', default=None,
      help='location of forensics logs (/var/log)')
   ap.add_argument('-m', dest='memthresh', metavar='percent' ,
      help='threshold for memory usage report (10%%)', default=10.0, type=float)
   ap.add_argument('-q', dest='query', metavar='query' ,
      help='report memory usage for given categories (eg. \'SD\')', default='')
-  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('-t', dest='durationthresh', metavar='days' ,
@@ -454,9 +455,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     else:
       print('# Error: can not read', args.forensicsfile, file=sys.stderr)
       quit()
-  elif args.readproc:
-    proc = ProcInfo()
-  else:
+  elif args.readconserved:
     default_logdir = '/var/log'
     logdir = None
     if 'FORENSICS_STORE' in os.environ:
@@ -473,6 +472,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
       print('# Fatal: no logs found in', logdir, file=sys.stderr)
       quit()
     proc = ProcInfoSaved(logs[0][0])
+  else:
+    proc = ProcInfo()
 
   if args.verbose:
     print(' Reading:', "'%s'" % proc.source, '...')