Xref: utzoo comp.sys.amiga.programmer:98 comp.sys.amiga.misc:82 Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!deccrl!news.crl.dec.com!shlump.nac.dec.com!pa.dec.com!bacchus!mwm From: mwm@raven.relay.pa.dec.com (Mike (My Watch Has Windows) Meyer) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer,comp.sys.amiga.misc Subject: Re: True Multitasking Message-ID: Date: 14 Jan 91 16:31:55 GMT References: <1991Jan09.184053.5567@eecs.wsu.edu> <1991Jan11.075022.16943@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <1991Jan11.081137.17529@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> Sender: news@pa.dec.com (News) Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.misc Organization: Missionaria Phonibalonica Lines: 36 In-Reply-To: mykes@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG's message of 11 Jan 91 08:11:37 GMT [Still trying to push this back to comp.sys.amiga.misc - mwm] In article <1991Jan11.081137.17529@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> mykes@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Mike Schwartz) writes: There must be 2 kinds of tasks possible in a "true" multitasking system. One kind of task is the kind that Amiga and Multifinder support, multiple applications. The second is one that multifinder does not support which is a task that is part of an application and is spawned while the application runs and terminates sometime before (or right when) the application quits. The only thing interesting you might be talking about is lightweight processes. The only reason those are interesting is because they're cheaper than normal processes. In any case, they have nothing to do with the topic at hand. The Amiga also has a 3rd kind of multitasking. There are 3 CPUs in the Amiga if you consider the Blitter and the Copper. All 3 of these CPUs can be executing programs at the same time. In MOST cases, the 680x0 can still execute and perform its Exec() multitasking while the other CPUs are executing. That's not multitasking; multiprocessing is closer to the meaning of the term. It's _still_ got nothing to do with the topic at hand. This definition of *true* multitasking should be good enough to shut up your average anal-retentive Mac evangilist :) This has something to do with the topic at hand - it's the kind of asinine statement that gives Amiga owners a bad name, and the attitude that makes the phrase "true multitasking" something to be avoided. Aforementioned Mac evangilist will go away, and quit wasting his time trying to get information into your head. Anyone else in the vicinity will go away, and be wary of anyone who uses an Amiga from then on.