diff --git a/packages/ludic.effects/queries.ludic b/packages/ludic.effects/queries.ludic
index 65245069..0ec4dc0f 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.effects/queries.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.effects/queries.ludic
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export function effects_live(effects_st: EffectsState) -> []int {
 export function effects_live_into(effects_st: EffectsState, out: []int) -> void {
   List.clear(out)
   let all = ef_all(effects_st)
+  @alloc_ok("into the caller's kept list, at most the ring's size")
   for i in 0 .. len(all) { if ef_live(all[i]) { push(out, i) } }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/ludic.effects/verbs.ludic b/packages/ludic.effects/verbs.ludic
index 8a7e6c45..bf9bff6f 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.effects/verbs.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.effects/verbs.ludic
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # verbs.ludic - the only way the ring changes. The same kind from the same label replaces
 # itself; a bonus past the cap pushes out the oldest bonus; a full ring drops the nearest end.
+@alloc_ok("an effect's end: a fact per effect that runs out or is replaced")
 function ef_end(effects_st: mut EffectsState, i: int, why: int) -> void {
   let all = ef_all(effects_st)
   let e = new EffectEnded
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ function ef_end(effects_st: mut EffectsState, i: int, why: int) -> void {
   ef_drop(effects_st, i)
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("an effect gone: the ring rebuilt, a few times a game hour")
 function ef_drop(effects_st: mut EffectsState, i: int) -> void {
   let all = ef_all(effects_st)
   let rest = new []Effect
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ function ef_make_room(effects_st: mut EffectsState, bonus: bool) -> void {
 }
 
 # begin one `after` game minutes from now, lasting `minutes` once it has begun
+@alloc_ok("an effect begun: food, rest, the weather - an event, not a frame")
 export function effects_add_after(effects_st: mut EffectsState, after: float, kind: int, mag: float, minutes: float, bonus: bool, label: string) -> void {
   let all = ef_all(effects_st)
   for i in 0 .. len(all) {
@@ -62,6 +65,7 @@ export function effects_add(effects_st: mut EffectsState, kind: int, mag: float,
 }
 
 # everything stops at once, and says nothing: a new trip or a night's sleep
+@alloc_ok("a new trip or a night's sleep")
 export function effects_clear(effects_st: mut EffectsState) -> void { effects_st.ef_list = new []Effect }
 
 # run them down by `minutes` of game time; a delayed one waits first
diff --git a/packages/ludic.steps/arc.ludic b/packages/ludic.steps/arc.ludic
index a5789e2f..90bec221 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.steps/arc.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.steps/arc.ludic
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # arc.ludic - an arc is a table of chapters, each a table of up to STEPS_PER_CHAPTER steps. The
 # game builds one with steps_chapter_add / steps_add; what a chapter is called is the game's.
 # empty the tables for another arc (the progress goes back to the first chapter)
+@alloc_ok("an arc's tables: once, when an arc is built")
 export function steps_arc_clear(steps_st: mut StepsState) -> void {
   steps_st.steps__n = new []int
   steps_st.steps__kind = new []int
diff --git a/packages/ludic.steps/party.ludic b/packages/ludic.steps/party.ludic
index b1d3de5c..edb9e2e0 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.steps/party.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.steps/party.ludic
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ export function steps_config(steps_st: mut StepsState, players: int) -> void {
   steps_st.steps__col = null
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("the party's columns: once a chapter, and when the party changes")
 function steps__party_clear(steps_st: mut StepsState) -> void {
   steps_st.steps__col = new []int
   for i in 0 .. steps_st.steps__players * STEPS_PER_CHAPTER { push(steps_st.steps__col, 0) }
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ function steps__share(steps_st: StepsState, p: int, i: int) -> int {
 # the same into a list the caller keeps (a guest checks its shares every tick)
 export function steps_my_shares_into(steps_st: StepsState, out: []int) -> void {
   List.clear(out)
+  @alloc_ok("into the caller's kept list, at most STEPS_PER_CHAPTER")
   for i in 0 .. STEPS_PER_CHAPTER { push(out, steps__share(steps_st, 0, i)) }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/ludic.steps/state.ludic b/packages/ludic.steps/state.ludic
index 2de19892..301f16e6 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.steps/state.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.steps/state.ludic
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ export function steps_facts(steps_st: StepsState) -> Queue<StepsFact> {
   return steps_st.steps__facts
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("a step's fact: once, when a step or a chapter is met")
 function steps__fact(steps_st: StepsState, what: int, ch: int, i: int) -> void {
   let f = new StepsFact
   f.what = what
diff --git a/packages/ludic.telemetry/facts.ludic b/packages/ludic.telemetry/facts.ludic
index a56dfe01..6d6634e2 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.telemetry/facts.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.telemetry/facts.ludic
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ function telemetry__fact_record(telemetry_st: mut TelemetryState) -> TelemetryFa
     telemetry_st.telemetry__fnext[0] += 1
     return f
   }
+  @alloc_ok("the fact pool grows to the most facts in flight at once")
   let f = new TelemetryFact
+  @alloc_ok("the fact pool grows to the most facts in flight at once")
   push(telemetry_st.telemetry__fpool, f)
   return f
 }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.telemetry/ident.ludic b/packages/ludic.telemetry/ident.ludic
index 9d53d170..cf749dcf 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.telemetry/ident.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.telemetry/ident.ludic
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 # n random bytes as hex. Crypto.random_hex reads /dev/urandom, which Windows lacks (zeros there),
 # so it is mixed with the clock and the process and hashed: distinct per start everywhere
+@alloc_ok("the player id: once a start, and never again once written")
 export function telemetry_random_hex(telemetry_st: mut TelemetryState, n: int) -> string {
   telemetry_st.telemetry__rand_n += 1
   let seed = Crypto.random_hex(n) + "|" + `{Time.now()}|{Crypto.random_u32()}|{Os.pid()}|{telemetry_st.telemetry__rand_n}`
@@ -23,8 +24,10 @@ export function telemetry_set_id(telemetry_st: mut TelemetryState, id: string) -
   telemetry__fact(telemetry_st, TELEMETRY_ID, 0, 0, 0)
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("the player id: once a start")
 function telemetry__random_id(telemetry_st: mut TelemetryState) -> void { telemetry_set_id(telemetry_st, "r-" + telemetry_random_hex(telemetry_st, 16)) }
 
+@alloc_ok("the player id: once a start")
 function telemetry__from_machine(telemetry_st: mut TelemetryState, raw: string) -> void {
   let salt = telemetry__conf(telemetry_st).id_salt
   telemetry_set_id(telemetry_st, "m-" + Crypto.sha256(salt + ":" + Text.lower(raw))[0..32])
diff --git a/packages/ludic.telemetry/props_nest.ludic b/packages/ludic.telemetry/props_nest.ludic
index bb539a4b..5561eeca 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.telemetry/props_nest.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.telemetry/props_nest.ludic
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ export function telemetry_list_end(p: TelemetryProps) -> void { tn_close(p, 93)
 function tn_open(p: TelemetryProps, k: string, c: int) -> void {
   tp_key(p, k)
   sb_byte(p.sb, c)
+  @alloc_ok("one nesting stack per props record, the first time it nests")
   if p.lv == null { p.lv = words(8) }
   if p.d < len(p.lv) - 1 { p.d += 1 }
   p.lv[p.d] = 0
diff --git a/packages/ludic.update/install.ludic b/packages/ludic.update/install.ludic
index 49e85852..5048618e 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.update/install.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.update/install.ludic
@@ -76,7 +76,10 @@ export function update_translocated() -> bool {
 }
 
 # can this copy update itself? A copy Velopack did not install downloads the game again instead.
-export function update_installed(update_st: UpdateState) -> bool {
+export function update_installed(update_st: UpdateState) -> bool { return update_st.update__installed }
+
+@alloc_ok("once, when the updater is configured")
+function update__installed_now(update_st: UpdateState) -> bool {
   if len(update__conf(update_st).root) > 0 { return true }
   if update_translocated() { return false }
   if update__mac() { return Fs.exists(update_dir() + "/UpdateMac") }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.update/latest.ludic b/packages/ludic.update/latest.ludic
index 0b3b4193..bd7b0415 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.update/latest.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.update/latest.ludic
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # played are kept too (a launcher shows them)
 export function update_check_tick(update_st: mut UpdateState, show_current: bool) -> void {
   if update_st.update__ask == UPDATE_ASK_IDLE {
+    @alloc_ok("the feed's address: once, when the check starts")
     update_st.update__ask_h = UpdateNet.get(update__conf(update_st).feed + "/" + update__conf(update_st).latest)
     update_st.update__ask = UPDATE_ASKING
     if update_st.update__ask_h < 0 { update_st.update__ask = UPDATE_NONE }
@@ -36,16 +37,23 @@ export function update_latest(update_st: UpdateState) -> string { return update_
 export function update_shown(update_st: UpdateState) -> bool { return update_st.update__ask == UPDATE_NEWER or update_st.update__ask == UPDATE_CURRENT }
 export function update_fresh(update_st: UpdateState) -> bool { return update_st.update__ask == UPDATE_NEWER }
 
-# the notes in this language, else English, else none
-export function update_notes(update_st: UpdateState, lang: string) -> []string {
-  let out = new []string
-  if update_st.update__notes == null or Value.kind(update_st.update__notes) != 6 { return out }
+# the notes in the language the game asked for (update_notes_for), else English, else none
+export function update_notes(update_st: UpdateState, lang: string) -> []string { return update_st.update__notes_list }
+
+# the notes kept for this language: filled when the version or the language changes, so the panel
+# reading them every frame makes nothing
+export function update_notes_for(update_st: mut UpdateState, lang: string) -> void {
+  if (update_st.update__notes_lang == lang) and (update_st.update__notes_of == update_st.update__latest) { return }
+  update_st.update__notes_lang = lang
+  update_st.update__notes_of = update_st.update__latest
+  let out = update_st.update__notes_list
+  List.clear(out)
+  if update_st.update__notes == null or Value.kind(update_st.update__notes) != 6 { return }
   var key = lang
   if Value.has(update_st.update__notes, key) == 0 { key = "en" }
-  if Value.has(update_st.update__notes, key) == 0 { return out }
+  if Value.has(update_st.update__notes, key) == 0 { return }
   let l = Value.get(update_st.update__notes, key)
-  for i in 0 .. Value.count(l) { push(out, Value.as_str(Value.at(l, i))) }
-  return out
+  for i in 0 .. Value.count(l) { push(update_st.update__notes_list, Value.as_str(Value.at(l, i))) }
 }
 
 # back to before anything was asked or installed (tests)
diff --git a/packages/ludic.update/state.ludic b/packages/ludic.update/state.ludic
index e5394d84..734be6c3 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.update/state.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.update/state.ludic
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ export state UpdateState {
   update__ask_h: int = -1
   update__latest: string = ""
   update__notes: Val = null
+  update__installed: bool = false            # worked out when configured: the panel asks every frame
+  @max(256) update__notes_list: []string = new []string   # the notes in the language last asked, kept
+  update__notes_lang: string = ""
+  update__notes_of: string = ""              # ... for this version
   update__cfg: UpdateConfig = new UpdateConfig
   update__state: int = 0
   update__err: int = 0
@@ -80,7 +84,10 @@ export state UpdateState {
   update__facts: Queue<UpdateFact> = update__facts__new()
 }
 
-export function update_config(update_st: mut UpdateState, c: UpdateConfig) -> void { update_st.update__cfg = c }
+export function update_config(update_st: mut UpdateState, c: UpdateConfig) -> void {
+  update_st.update__cfg = c
+  update_st.update__installed = update__installed_now(update_st)
+}
 
 function update__conf(update_st: UpdateState) -> UpdateConfig {
   return update_st.update__cfg