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From: ralf@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Ralf Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc
Subject: Re: Multitasking?
Message-ID: <11407@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: 15 Dec 90 05:05:50 GMT
References: <1990Dec13.033748.18606@CSUFresno.EDU> <12273@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 21

In article <12273@hubcap.clemson.edu> lsalomo@hubcap.clemson.edu (lsalomo) writes:
}From article <1990Dec13.033748.18606@CSUFresno.EDU>, by brucen@CSUFresno.EDU (Bruce Nelson):
}> Is there anyone in netland that might be able to tell me what
}> "true" multitasking is, which microproccessors (8088, 80286,
}> 80386sx, 80386, 80486) are able to multitask, and what type of
}> software allows multitasking.
}
}With the proper software, any of those CPUs could multitask.  However, it isn't
}so much the multitasking, but the other features that need to be provided, like
}protection of address space (, etc.) that only the 80286 (and later CPUs) can

Address space protection is NOT required for multitasking, although it does
make the system more robust.  Memory protection also makes a single-tasking
system more robust....  Even an 8088, 6502 or Z80 can multitask given the
proper OS (and an external timer interrupt if pre-emptive multitasking is
desired).
-- 
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