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From: rhyde@ucrmath.ucr.edu (randy hyde)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Multitasking on a II
Message-ID: <10548@ucrmath.ucr.edu>
Date: 12 Dec 90 18:07:31 GMT
References: <2433@unsvax.NEVADA.EDU> <10425@ucrmath.ucr.edu> <14705@smoke.brl.mil>
Organization: University of California, Riverside
Lines: 15

>>Timer interrupt is needed only for preemptive scheduling...

I don't want to start an rwar on what is and what isn't "true" multitasking...
But let me explain my terminology (which, btw, has a historical basis):
Multitasking- The ability of more than one job to execute at a time without
explicitly requiring another job to give up the computer (i.e., pre-emptive
based on priority, timer, or even explicit operations like I/O).
Multiprocessing-the ability for several processes to execute concurrently
on different processors.
Multiprogramming- the ability for multiple programs to run concurrently, but
each process must explicitly give up the CPU.

People tend to call multiprogramming "non-preemptive multitasking" or, perhaps,
"cooperative multitasking."  To avoid confusion I always use the correct term.
*** randy Hyde O-)