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From: bryce@COGSCI.BERKELEY.EDU (Bryce Nesbitt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Hidden Multitasking?
Message-ID: <8705140356.AA24327@cogsci.berkeley.edu>
Date: Wed, 13-May-87 23:56:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: cogsci.8705140356.AA24327
Posted: Wed May 13 23:56:10 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 16-May-87 07:47:50 EDT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Lines: 50
Summary: Note to authors from the MULTITASKING POLICE!!!

In article <> john13@carfield.UUCP typed:
> One of the things to consider when buying any piece of Amiga software is,
> of course, how well it supports multitasking. A program that doesn't may
> be no more useful than a version running on any other model of computer.
>
> [printmaster only takes over the workbench screen, not any other screen]
>
> Are there any other programs which don't at first glance appear to let you
> multitask which can be coerced into it?

Almost all the programs that SEEM to disable multi-tasking actually do not:

1> Bardstale  (Screen front/back gadgets are artfully integated in the borders.
	       if you can deal with modifying the startup-sequence you will
	       have a full multi-tasking compatible game.
	       If only that had used "run bardstale" not "bardstale"...)
2> CinemaWare series (same as above)
3> Textcraft. (Simply open a window on the Workbench before starting it.)
4> Marble maddness (If you don't mind not seeing the output)
5> Other things.   (Try Left Amiga-N and Left Amiga-M.)

Some programs will CLOSE the workbench screen without a provision for
OPENING it.  If a window is on the workbench, it can't be closed by
a program. *poof* multi-tasking.  This should be made less confusing for
users.

-> Notes from the MULTITASKING POLICE!!!

1> Aside from "Open Workbench back up", programs with a custom screen should 
   provide front/back gadgets or provisions.

2> Some other programs have BUGS that hog the processor even when they are
   just waiting for kebyoard input.  I recall Deluxe Paint II does this with
   either the main screen or the file-requestor.  Use pm (Process-monitor)
   from the V1.2 Extras disk to snoop on naugty programs then complain to
   the authors.

3> THE BIG ONE ->  If you open a custom screen use GetScreenData() from 
   Intuition to get the size of the Workbench.  Now open a screen just
   like it.  I used MOREROWS to get a 704*219 screen.  I would like it
   if EMACS, mirror HACKER PACKAGE and other things would use the size
   of screen that I *obviously* prefer.
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^
		    |||||||||||  (page 52, in the V1.2 enhancer DOCS)
		    (don't believe the lies about the best use of this
		    function)
--------------------------------
   //  BPTR? Just say *NO*!  <- Credit to he who said it first.
\\//  bryce@cogsci.Berkeley.EDU
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