Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!cmcl2!adm!smoke!gwyn
From: gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Building a NEW computer
Message-ID: <14668@smoke.brl.mil>
Date: 6 Dec 90 19:51:56 GMT
References: <10895.apple.net@pro-angmar>
Organization: U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory, APG, MD.
Lines: 12

In article <10895.apple.net@pro-angmar> m.tiernan@pro-angmar.UUCP (Michael Tiernan) writes:
-Aside from all that, the II line lacked a non-preempt style of instruction
-that would allow you to run (cleanly) multiple tasks.  Even the oldest IBM-PC
-had an instruction to increment a memory word that blocked all attempts at
-prememption until it completed.  Using this, you could signal tasks into and
-out of a run/ready state.  We ain't got it.  HOLD IT!  Before the flames get
-turned on, I am not saying I should be able to run a uucp transfer while I
-recompile the great American program in the background, but even little things
-like clean print spoolers, alarm clocks and the such are hindered in their
-abilities without such a thing.

What an idiot.