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From: res12@snoopy.UMD.EDU (Matthew T. Russotto)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Apple System 7.0
Message-ID: <8905210253.AA25280@snoopy.UMD.EDU>
Date: 21 May 89 02:53:47 GMT
References: <31880@sri-unix.SRI.COM>
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Lines: 33

In article <31880@sri-unix.SRI.COM> mha@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Mark H. Anbinder) writes:
>>>> In article <17148@usc.edu> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes:
>>>> >
>>>> > [stuff about System 7.0 multitasking]
>>>> >
>>>
>>> - a soft power switch that suspends all Multifinder processes and brings them
>>>   all back up when you power back up the next day, exactly as you left 
>>>   them.
>>
>One problem with this, and perhaps the reason why a "soft power" feature
>isn't being implemented with System 7.0, or perhaps under the Virtual VM
>system from Connectix, is that there are too many things going on within the
>computer's memory at any given moment that CAN'T be "frozen" (or stored) and
>then restored indiscriminately into the system memory.  You wouldn't be able
>to expect it to "hit the ground running," as it were.

The best way to do this, it seems to me, is to leave the burden of remembering
the setup to the applications, and have multifinder send them all a
'Power Down' event, which would make them do regular quit processing, except
that they are expected to save all their info.  When they were restarted
by multifinder, they would restore themselves automatically.  Seems to me
Apple is already moving in this direction, by issuing a few tech notes
telling applications developers to save positions of windows etc.
For an example of what I am talking about, look at what MPW 2.0 does under
UniFinder when it sublaunches an applications.  When it returns, all windows,
etc, are back where they belong.
-- 
DISCLAIMER:  Not only does the University not share my opinions,
             they don't want me sharing my opinions.
                "This 'Pnews', what does it do?"
             Matthew T. Russotto
	     res12@snoopy.umd.edu (this semester only)