Xref: utzoo comp.sys.atari.st:6509 comp.sys.amiga:11898
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!uwvax!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!davidli
From: davidli@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Dave Meile)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st,comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Multi-tasking? A nightmare...
Message-ID: <3256@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Date: 21 Dec 87 16:07:37 GMT
References: <2168@crash.cts.com>
Reply-To: davidli@umn-cs.UUCP (Dave Meile)
Organization: University of Minnesota
Lines: 38
Summary: some folks don't need Computers, let alone...

In article <2168@crash.cts.com> haitex@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel) writes:
>
>                5)      Remember, what the few want today, the masses
>                          can't live without tomarrow!

Ahem.  In case you haven't noticed, the "masses" are NOT buying microcomputers.
They certainly aren't going to "need" multi-tasking systems, and would
probably be able to live without them (or computers, in general) quite
nicely thank you very much.

Computer chauvenism.  People will go to great lengths to "prove" that a
feature of the operating system or hardware is what makes a particular system
better.  Of course, we all have a vested interest in that "proof" -- we
just don't want to believe that we bought an "outdated" computer.  Hah!

People want computers (when they want them at all) to DO SOMETHING for
them.  In the majority of cases with the Atari ST and the Amiga, that
"something" has been:

	writing stuff
	filing stuff
	retrieving stuff that's been filed
	playing games
	programming all of the above

Most of those who read these forums fall under the "programming" category.
Of course, for programmers, multitasking can be a delight.  For the person
who is writing a term paper on the microcomputer, why bother?  If you have
access to two programs (ala Multifinder or perhaps through a "desk
accessory" [IBM PCs have desk accessories too, folks]) you already have
as much power as you're ever liable to need in most environments.

It's totally "neat" to download a file and play chess at the same time.
But I've never come across a time when it was necessary to do so.  So, let's
get off this kick about multitasking being a "necessity" in a computing
environment.

-- Dave (I play games - and write stuff) Meile