Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!unisoft!hoptoad!dasys1!larryw
From: larryw@dasys1.UUCP (Winston Lawrence)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Multitasking - A nightmare
Message-ID: <2406@dasys1.UUCP>
Date: 30 Dec 87 21:21:51 GMT
Organization: The Big Electric Cat
Lines: 23
Keywords: Multitasking Realities


  I think that this discussion is a little off-base in many ways. Would this be going on if we were debating the benefits of disk versus cassette storage?
  You will be hard pressed to find ANY microcomputer of recent vintage that does NOT multitask to some extent. The Atari 8bits use multitasking. The ANTIC CPU interrupts the 6502 chip to generate the video. Smart programs turn OFF the multitasking during cpu intensive stuff (compiles for example) to speed things up, or write special multitasking programs (graphic displays). The POKEY sound chip works in a similar manner for the sound output. Disk controllers use dedicated chips (and DMA) to do their thing while the CPU does its thing. ON PCs, IRMA boards handle screen i/o and updates IN THE BACKGROUND, regardless of what you are doing in DOS. While you might split hairs as to whether this is multitasking,
parallel processing, or networking. Its a moot point. Multitasking is real,
is here, and has been a feature on most micros for the last six or seven years.
As fo Joe user - Mr Average - They may not buy computer systems as we use them, but have you looked into their cars nowadays? Computer controlled emission systems, fuel control and ignition, mileage calculators etc? All of these systems arehappily multitasking away in real time too (they better be). PS before I get flames that these automobile systems are not programmable, some of the hottest underground programming jobs right now is REPROGRAMMING these things to beef up the
cars performance (usually at the expense of emission standards) and the feds areseriously thinking about outlawing the chips and making their reprogramming illegal. 

:x

:q


:X





-- 
Winston Lawrence                 {allegra,philabs,cmcl2}!phri\
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