Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!helios!tamuts!n138ct From: n138ct@tamuts.tamu.edu (Brent Burton) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: What can't it do? Loss of... Summary: MultiFinder runs several at once. Keywords: Multi-Finder, multitasking, Finder Message-ID: <6525@helios.TAMU.EDU> Date: 12 Jul 90 18:43:51 GMT References: <82023@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <2619@network.ucsd.edu> Sender: usenet@helios.TAMU.EDU Organization: Texas A&M University Lines: 30 In article <2619@network.ucsd.edu> pbiron@weber.ucsd.edu (Paul Biron) writes: >> . . . >>designed to multi-task, per se. Multi-tasking is handled by the >>System; the Finder is simply a program that is used to manipulate >>files and access other applications. >> >>Multi-Finder, as most Mac people know, is something of a misnomer. As > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >To be truely multi-tasking, an operating system must allow >multiple processes (or applications) to be running AT THE >SAME TIME (well, actually they each get a time slice). > >Paul Biron pbiron@ucsd.edu (619) 534-5758 I run MultiFinder all the time on my 4meg Mac +. I always need to up/dn load files and If I need to do other things, the file transfer goes to the back. Multifinder gives each program "a time slice". Each program also tells MF how long MF has to do other tasks. WaitNextEvent (??) has an integer parameter that tells how much time MF shall get. Other programs may "go to sleep", but it is not like Switcher. Programs under Switcher _stopped_, while under Multifinder, they slow down(according to the integer in WaitNextEvent). Several small programs exist to show the "multitasking" ability of MultiFinder. One demo people like is MacEyes. I'll just do basic Finder-type activities and the eyes follow me around. Both programs are doing what they are supposed to do. Isn't this multitasking? I think it is for all practical purposes. Brent Burton n138ct@tamuts.tamu.edu