Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!WPI.BITNET!GREYELF
From: GREYELF@WPI.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: HELLO
Message-ID: <8903290453.AA13362@wpi>
Date: 29 Mar 89 04:53:14 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 59

Well I finally sent Daemon to Apple2-l, the instructions and
code are there now. (Now you can bug Chris).

So far people have requested, or I have created the following
task drivers:

A visible clock in the screen corner
A Prodos compatible clock without hardware
A keyboard buffer
An audible keyclick when a new key is pressed
Selector ability to switch between different programs
A timer routine for BASIC programs.
A modem driver for downloading in the background
(Communications was never my specialty)
A printer driver for printing a file  in the background
(This one I can handle, I just haven't gotten round to it yet)

So far that's seven tasks, under the current setup you
can have up to eight simultaneously running.
Is eight a problem?  How about 16?  24? even 64 can be done
without increasing the memory required by the program
beyond two pages.

The reason I chose not to just allow any old program to
be multitasked is because of the limits of SEI and CLI,
using SEI or CLI  in a program, without knowing how it would
affect the multitasker is begging for trouble.

In effect I exchanged some power for reliability, a necessary
precaution, considering what a rampant interrupt driver
can do.

Honestly though folks, I have to thank the Author of SHARE
a public domain multitasking program
I have his address available, should you  want it.
I learned a great deal from his code.

But his code tended to trash disk directories, hence the
caution.

any suggestions for something specific you's like,
write me a note.  Any offers to make a modem driver?
Write me a note.

Officially Daemon is Shareware, cost $30, but the official
version has not been released yet, this one is more of a
demo, since it will be easily wiped out of existance
in its current form.

*** When playing with strange task drivers, I suggest you
write protect your disks, a bad driver could easily trash
them.

--
Michael J Pender Jr  Box 1942 c/o W.P.I.        I wrote SHELL and Daemon,
greyelf@wpi.bitnet   100 Institute Rd.          send bug reports, suggestions,
greyelf@wpi.wpi.com  Worcester, Ma 01609        checks to me.

P.S.  I help people too.