Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!aplcen!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!nic.MR.NET!jhereg!wd0gol!newave!john
From: john@newave.UUCP (John A. Weeks III)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Why use MS-window ?
Keywords: msdos, ms-window
Message-ID: <404@newave.UUCP>
Date: 26 May 90 14:44:40 GMT
References: <10699@medusa.cs.purdue.edu>
Reply-To: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)
Organization: NeWave Communications Ltd, Eden Prairie, MN
Lines: 39

In <10699@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> wjin@cs.purdue.EDU (Woochang Jin) writes:
> According to the discussions, windows for 88/86/286 machines cannot do
> muti-tasking. Then my question is why use windows if multi-tasking is
> impossible ? Anyway you start one job and wait until it is done.

Windows (at least 2.x) is multi-tasking.  Things can be done in the
back-ground when the machine has extra cycles.  Some "experts" say
windows is not true "pre-emptive" multi-tasking.  If this means anything
to you, then you might want to investige further.

> Maybe you can hold a process like an editor, and do something in other
> window, wait util it is finished and get back to the editor. Is this
> all reason why they use ms-window ?

I find that to be a major asset.  Especially for programming.  When working
on one file, I like to bring up other files in other windows to use as
a reference.  It is also nice to cut and paste statements to use as a template
while programming.

> According the discussions, ms-window seems to be icon based like McIntosh.

Icons alone do not make a Mac.  The Mac philosophy that is burned into thier
ROM chips is an entirely different world than DOS or Windows.  Some say
better, others say worse, but mainly just different.

> As old saying, "Seeing is believing" applies to me. But I think that MS will
> not return my money I do not like it.

Go to any local IBM-PC-ish dealer and play with windows.  Egghead Software
and Software ETC usually has at least one machine in their stores running
windows.  Even a quick look at it should give you an idea of how you will
like it.


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John A. Weeks III               (612) 942-6969               john@newave.mn.org
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