Path: utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!scs!spl1!laidbak!att!mtunx!pacbell!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!ucsd!sdcc6!sdcc3!ee154aby
From: ee154aby@sdcc3.ucsd.EDU (Grobbins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Hey!  What about us, Mac+ users!
Message-ID: <4221@sdcc3.ucsd.EDU>
Date: 5 Jun 88 07:43:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: sdcc3.4221
References: <11388@apple.Apple.Com> <523@sering.cwi.nl> <55070@sun.uucp> <348@teletron.UUCP> <55442@sun.uucp>
Reply-To: grobbins@ucsd.uucp
Organization: UCSD
Lines: 22
Summary: time-slicing problems also

In article <55442@sun.uucp> chuq@sun.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach) writes:
>A year from now, any program that isn't Multifinder compatible will be
>unsaleable on the marketplace. For the most part, that's already true. 

While I also usually trash programs which don't work under 
MultiFinder, I do see a problem for Plus and SE owners more 
serious than lack of RAM.

Without reigniting arguments over the quality of MultiFinder's
cooperative style of multitasking, it is clear that many applications
are unable to function appropriately in its shared environment.
When put in the background, some programs (like DiskFit) slow to
a snail's pace; others (like Stuffit) pretend that they own the
machine.  Even with only very well behaved applications open, a
foreground terminal program becomes jerky when background tasks
are working.

The only way to guarantee that applications function
appropriately will be hardware-supported preemptive multitasking,
a very unpleasant prospect for Plus and SE owners.

Grobbins          grobbins@ucsd.edu