Xref: utzoo comp.sys.atari.st:6517 comp.sys.amiga:11924
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: <3259@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Date: 21 Dec 87 23:55:06 GMT
References: <2959@cbmvax.UUCP> <11191@oliveb.UUCP> <886@louie.udel.EDU>
Reply-To: davidli@umn-cs.UUCP (Dave Meile)
Organization: University of Minnesota
Lines: 34
Summary: Joe Average could care less ...

In article <886@louie.udel.EDU> rminnich@udel.EDU (Ron Minnich) writes:
>
>I can't believe this discussion. Here we are, all us good hacker
>types, arguing that Joe Average is Too Limited, The Poor Soul, 
>to really  Appreciate the Beauty of Multi-Tasking (*cue Heavenly Choir*)

Actually, the argument is "Joe Average doesn't NEED Multi-Tasking to
accomplish the primary uses of a home computer"

	writing stuff
	filing stuff
	retrieving stuff
	playing games

>  The 'oh but desk accessories are ok' is a specious argument. 
>Desk accessories are a kludge-o form of multi-tasking. If you 
>want to argue that Desk Accessories are a good thing, then you
>are arguing FOR multi-tasking.

Desk accessories (and maybe context switching) are all you NEED.  The
argument here isn't whether multi-tasking is "neat", or that it doesn't
have its uses.  The argument here is whether you should choose brand XX
computer "simply" because it has the capability of multi-tasking.

It's a nice fribjob, but not necessary to do stuff.  Lots of microcomputer
owners know that, but Amiga owners somehow don't seem to feel that the
other features of their computer are enough to REALLY make a home user
want to buy one.

Personally, if somebody is willing to give me $1000, I'd buy one.  (Same
deal for any microcomputer, folks .. I already have two, plus access to
two others, so why buy another?)

-- Dave (I write stuff) Meile