Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uflorida!ukma!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!osu-cis!att!ihlpm!jmdavis
From: jmdavis@ihlpm.ATT.COM (Davis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: simple multitasking examples
Message-ID: <3031@ihlpm.ATT.COM>
Date: 11 Feb 89 09:18:26 GMT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 42



The previous posting where someone wanted to know what multitasking
is and how the Amiga implements it, IBM implements it, Mac,...
etc. has brought forth this question...

What is the simplest example you can think of to demonstrate that
the Amiga really does have multitasking? Preferably this should be
in the form of a discussion like "can you do this?" that wouldn't
require a computer to be present.

I, like the other guy, don't want to start a flame war here. But,
after having heard yet another person say "The Amiga is just a
game machine" and this was in comparison to an Apple IIGS!!!
(I heard this from a friend who got this at a computer store, from
one of the hired help!) I want to be able to give these guys a
level headed reason why they are wrong :-).

Anyway, the point here is to come up with a quick, thoughtful,
expression of Amiga uniqueness wrt multitasking. Multiple windows
isn't it, nor is "multi processing" since some machines can emulate
this via programs that allow you to execute the most-commonly-used-
program-used-with-this-program (editors and comm packages, for
example). I think formatting two disks is it. This task clearly
does two things at once, this also isn't something in demand, so
communication packages (for example) probably won't have an option
for this (like they do editors).

My only problem is that it is too simple, I fully expect to either
1) explain why this is significant, or 2) leave the fellow fully
unimpressed. Any suggestions for other similar "thought experiments"?
(Ideally something that leaves someone walking away saying:
	"Hmmmm, I thought my machine multitasked, but it can't
	 do that. I wonder how the Amiga does that?"

Sorry for rambling, but it is late.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
			Mike Davis ..!att!ihlpm!jmdavis

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