blochowi@rt19.cs.wisc.edu (Jason Blochowiak) (09/12/89)
In article <8909110139.AA02355@TIS.COM> lee@TIS.COM (Theodore Lee) writes: > [...] > [Talks about desire to do background transfers, amongst other things] > I guess what >I really want is some kind of true multi-window applicaitons environemnt >for the GS rather than the one now that only looks like it is one -- you >can have many different windows open doing different things, but only >if you have an integrated application; you can't integrate (operate >concurrently) different applications. Well, gee, funny you should mention that... Amongst N other projects that I'm toying with, a multi-tasking system is one of them. I've named it DMTS for (wow), Desktop Multi-Tasking System, and I've done a little bit of work on it, but stopped for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is support - it'd be useless for me to write it without anybody else writing stuff for it. It wouldn't multi-task existing applications - only ones written specifically for it. I've basically figured out how I'd handle sharing of desktop "resources" (in the more conventional sense). Things like events, windows, menus, etc., but there are still some things I have to work out. If there's any suggestions from users out there for things you'd like (if possible, separate the "gee, that'd be really nice" from the "it'd be useless without" features), I'd like to hear from you. If there are suggestions from programmers out there as to a specific type of architecture they'd like to see, or specific services offered by the kernal, I'd also like to hear them... >lee@TIS.COM -- Jason Blochowiak - back at school (again). blochowi@garfield.cs.wisc.edu or jason@madnix.UUCP "What's up pruneface?" - Bugs Bunny in the year 2000
gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (09/12/89)
In article <2971@puff.cs.wisc.edu> blochowi@rt19.cs.wisc.edu (Jason Blochowiak) writes: >DMTS for (wow), Desktop Multi-Tasking System >It wouldn't multi-task existing applications - only ones written specifically >for it. I think in general it's hopeless to try to wedge true multitasking into Apple's windowing design, because without automatic backup bitmaps a task MUST be aware of windowing changes in order to repaint its windows when their visibility changes due to external factors. It may have been advisable for Apple desktop applications to have supported expose events anyhow, due to the existence of "desk accessories", but I wouldn't count on them all doing it right. This "Macintosh think" about window system design has permeated window systems, including SunView and X-Windows. About the only one that makes sense is the one Rob Pike designed. If you compare the code for a typical Blit application to the code for one of the Mac-like windowing systems, the difference in complexity is readily apparent. Rob's "newsqueak" system is even spiffier. Too bad people would rather mimic old designs than to think about better ways of doing things.
philip@pro-generic.cts.com (Philip McDunnough) (09/21/89)
Network Comment: to #5026 by puff!rt19.cs.wisc.edu!blochowi%speedy.wisc.edu@BRL.MIL While you are at it could you develop a communication package that works over AppleTalk?