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From: jm7e+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jeremy G. Mereness)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Multitasking GS?
Message-ID: <8Wf-=Jy00V4McuU0C4@andrew.cmu.edu>
Date: 8 Jun 88 02:13:41 GMT
Organization: Carnegie Mellon
Lines: 44
In-Reply-To: <566@n8emr.UUCP>



A multi-tasking GS would be a lot of fun, but from working with both
Mac //s on Multifinder and Unix-XWindows (still experimental) on RT's and Sun
3's,
I have found that next to speed, multitasking needs a big screen upon which to
display all
the currently online applications. Thus, I have found even the Mac // to be a
bit lacking in the multitasking department compared to XWindows. The GS
would have a little more trouble than that.

Perhaps a more practical apprach at this point would be to perfect "false
multitasking"
on the GS before burning the true thing out of it; by this I mean being able to
have
more than one application open at once, but all background programs would be
on "hold." The inspiration for this comes from Roger Wagner's SWITCHER program
which
can have switch between 3 different applications. It works great from what I
have heard,
but only with under Prodos 8.

If there was some way to make a 16 bit switcher that would be limited only to
the
amount of memory in the machine, I think many of our desires in multitasking
would be filled; switching between applications would not require one to close
and quit and
restart and reload, kind of like what the fabled GSWorks would provide.

What would be even nicer is an option to open a window running Prodos 8, thus
truly
bringing the two worlds of the GS together in one environment.

It would take a lot of memory, but its possible, isn't it?


Capt. Albatross
jm7e+@andrew.cmu.edu

============
disclaimer: These opinions are mine and will remain so until more intelligent
or
insightful or informed people are kind enough to show me the error of my ways.
Remember: A mind is a terrible thing to baste.