The "random_sleep" function is calling "sleep". Thus the memory used by anacron, the /etc/cron.daily/apt script is frozen for minutes when the "random_sleep" blocks until the "sleep" program completes.
Maybe an implementation of a delayed system call back would save memory. For example the script could register a call-back with "at" utility instead of using sleep.
I think this problem is important, especially during a few minutes after the system startup. The desktop has to be responsive while many desktop tasks are temporarily using more memory for initialization during the first hour.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: apt 0.8.16~
ProcVersionSign
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-41-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.2
Architecture: i386
Date: Sat May 11 11:00:38 2013
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 12.04.2 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20130213)
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
LANGUAGE=fr:en
TERM=xterm
PATH=(custom, no user)
LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8
SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: apt
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)