Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!brauer!fry
From: fry@brauer.harvard.edu (David Fry)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: multitasking and IPC (was: System 8.0: no more DA's.)
Message-ID: <877@husc6.harvard.edu>
Date: 24 Dec 88 08:59:24 GMT
References: <1988Dec16.191309.21623@cs.rochester.edu> <326@internal.Apple.COM> <807@esl.UUCP> <747@lts.UUCP> <34550@think.UUCP>
Sender: news@husc6.harvard.edu
Organization: Harvard Math Department
Lines: 24

In article <34550@think.UUCP> barmar@kulla.think.com (Barry Margolin) writes:
>I have one question about this whole issue:
>
>Suppose I'm running a Multifinder-aware terminal emulator, I start a
>download, and then switch into another application.  I know that the
>download works fine so long as the application calls WaitNextEvent
>frequently.  At some point the application puts up a modal dialogue,
>which, as we know, prohibits switching.  Question: does it also
>prevent the background download from running?

This doesn't stop the download, since ModalDialog calls
{Get,Wait}NextEvent repeatedly.  BUT if you hold the mouse
down on a menu or scroll bar, the download will be
interrupted.  This is the feature that I think shows the need
for pre-emptive MT most clearly.  MultiFinder is super, given
what it has to do, but I don't like calling $35/hour telecomm
services, and then feeling afraid to scan the menu bar in
another application for fear of wasting valuable download
money.

David Fry				fry@huma1.harvard.EDU
Department of Mathematics		fry@huma1.bitnet
Harvard University			...!harvard!huma1!fry
Cambridge, MA  02138