Xref: utzoo comp.sys.atari.st:6504 comp.sys.amiga:11892
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!boulder!sunybcs!ugmiker
From: ugmiker@sunybcs.uucp (Michael Reilly)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st,comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Multi-tasking? A nightmare...
Message-ID: <7403@sunybcs.UUCP>
Date: 21 Dec 87 13:32:39 GMT
References: <2027@bath63.ux63.bath.ac.uk> <2969@cbmvax.UUCP> <3243@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Sender: nobody@sunybcs.UUCP
Reply-To: ugmiker@sybil.UUCP (Michael Reilly)
Organization: SUNY/Buffalo Computer Science
Lines: 85
Summary: LINEAR ????

In article <3243@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu> davidli@umn-cs.UUCP (Dave Meile) writes:
>In article <2969@cbmvax.UUCP> hedley@cbmvax.UUCP (Hedley Davis) writes:
>>> [deleted stuff...]
>>>
>>	Examples are easy.
>> [deleted stuff...]
>>Hedley
>
> [deleted stuff...]
>Of course, you don't need multi-tasking to do either of the above jobs.
>A desk acessory does quite nicely (whether you're using an ST, Macintosh,
>PC or Amiga).
	
	I tried to cut out alot.. probably should have cut out more :-)
WHAT IS AN AVERAGE USER ??????? A GAMER ??? A PROGRAMMER???? A PERSON
WHO USES THIER COMPUTER FOR BUSINESS REASONS??? AVERGE TO WHO ??????
	in another posting someone said average users don't call bbs's,
and dont own modems.. SORRY.. why are there more BBS's now than ever, more
"POWER" users no... more "average" people with more computers....
>
>The "average user" would be satisfied with a desk accessory, while the
>"power user" will want multi-tasking.  The "power user" will ALWAYS want
>as much as possible in the machine being used.  (Which is why I think
>the "power user" should own a Sun or Apollo or VAX workstation and
>forget the piddling PC market).
	Do you also feel anyone who wants to drive fast should own a 
ferrari or lambroghini ????? even if they can't afford it??? but instead
maybe just put high test gas in the old chevy chevette ??????

	I FEEL ONE QUOTE SAYS IT ALL.....
"The most important concept in modern operating systems is undoubtably 
multiprogramming.  By having a number of programs in memory at the same 
time, the cpu may be shared among them.  This scheme improves the overall
efficiency of the computer system by getting more work done in less time "
---from Operating System Concepts, Peterson and Silberschatz
	for more,  read chapter 4 of the above book....

	When we had older computers, we always wanted more power, and more
cpu cycles to get our work done faster.  Now we have greater speed, speed 
that very often gets wasted because of I/O, and waiting for user
input, and so on.  With multitasking, the cpu is used more efficiently, and 
we can of course get more work done. Period.
	If I want I can constantly have a CPU intensive ray tracing program 
running, when I want my editor to run, and keep the ray tracing going, but
give more cycles to the editor, I can do it, as easy as I just said it, then
when my editing is done, go back and raise the priority on the ray tracer.  if
I couldn't do this, when my ray tracer was working, I might as well forget about
my machine, and not use it for 12 to 40 hours as it completes the picture.

>
>Now, for the "Why I don't want a multi-tasking system".  (Of course, I have
>access to HUGE multi-user, multi-tasking systems at work...)
>
>I find that I get to do many little things around the house while I'm in
>a terminal session.  I can catch up on my reading, prepare dinner, change
>record albums, everything except un-ARC files I'm downloading (which is
>about the only thing I'd do if I owned a multi-tasking system).
>
>Face it, most of us are (for the most part) linear beings.  For single,
>home systems multi-tasking is a less than useful for what we bought a
>computer for ... writing information down, filing that information,
>retrieving the information and playing games.  :-)
>
>-- Dave Meile
	Dave, While making dinner, lets say a steak, baked potatoe, corn, salad,
and lima beans (YUCK :-( ).  Do you cook the steak, then eat it, and cook the 
corn, and then eat it, then cook the potatoe, then eat it,then make the salad 
and eat it, etc. ect. etc..... ????? NO, You Cook everything at once, except of
course the salad, I hate cooked salad :-), and then eat everything at once...
	That is NOT linear, humans are DEFINITELY not linear.
	The classic about walking and chewing gum, is a perfect example.... :-)
>
>(yes, I know I'm cross-posting this ... some of my best friends own
> Amigas, Macintoshes, IBM machines and Atari STs.  They are all less
> powerful than the VAXstation 2000 sitting on my desk at work.)

	Well, just remember, the vaxstation is at work, but my AMIGAstation 
is at my home, right where I get MOST of my work done....

					mike

Disclaimer : OF course they are my ideas, who else would have them ....??
Michael Reilly                     University of Buffalo Computer Science  
CSNET:	ugmiker@buffalo.CSNET 
INTERNET: ugmiker@{joey,marvin}.cs.buffalo.edu