Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!altair!jxf From: jxf@altair.cis.ksu.edu (Jerry Frain) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system Subject: Re: True Multitasking Message-ID: <1991Jan15.191249.28750@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> Date: 15 Jan 91 19:12:49 GMT References: <48107@apple.Apple.COM> Sender: news@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu (The News Guru) Organization: Kansas State University Lines: 63 heksterb@Apple.COM (Ben Hekster) writes: >kkirksey@eng.auburn.edu (Kenneth B. Kirksey) asks: >> Can somebody please tell me why Apple has yet to implement TRUE multitasking >> in the system software? I know that it's really not that hard of a task, >> especially since the amiga has had it for quite some time. Is there a valid >> reason for not doing it? I'm really curious >Perhaps Mr. Kirksey will be so kind as to refer me to some computer science >literature where the term `true multitasking' is defined. "True multitasking" is not defined. However, it is readily apparent that Mr. Kirksey _is_ referring to "preemptive multiprogramming." Mr. Herkster apparently lacks the ability to infer what Mr. Kirksey was attempting to convey. > As it is, the term >seems only to serve the purpose of consoling insecure Amiga owners. The term also seems to serve the purpose of enabling Apple employees to direct the attention away from the issue. I don't know how many times I've seen a request like the original article, and a response by an Apple employee very similar to the article which I am following up to. Mr. Herkster's behavior is certainly not professional. >Followup to: comp.sys.amiga.has.true.multitasking.na.naah.na.naah.naaah How very mature. Thank you so much for your help. In answer to the original query, the System 7.0 Q&A list almost provides some insight as to Apple's plans for preemptive multiprogramming for the Mac. Some reference was made in the Q&A list to the fact that Apple is now researching preemptive multiprogramming for the Mac. However, I would much rather see protected memory mode enabled for those Macs which have memory management units installed, than preemptive multiprogramming. The Mac's "cooperative multiprogramming" is adequate. It _does_ allow me to download files in the background. Fortunately, downloading files is mostly all I need performed in the background, 'cause that's about all the Mac's cooperative multiprogramming is good for. I'd _really_ like to be able to compile my programs in the background. Fat chance. It is such a pain to reboot simply because I had a bad pointer in a program that went out and scrambled the OS. Protected mode would solve this problem. The lack of protected mode is extremely primitive, to say the least. Regards, --Jerry -- Jerry Frain -- Systems Programmer Kansas State University Department of Computing & Info Sciences Internet : jxf@cis.ksu.edu Manhattan, Kansas UUCP : ...!rutgers!ksuvax1!jxf