[comp.sys.apple] "multitasking"

SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (06/20/88)

>Well, why does anyone want multi-tasking in the first place?  I mean
>*REALLY*?  Think about it...
>
>Ok, sometimes I want to have my //e call up the vax and download a file or
>something silly like that.  Then I would have two processes, one doing the
>download, the other at my disposal.  Or maybe I want to compute a
>mandlebrot, and also hack at same time.  Again, two processes.

Gee, I discovered the solution to that a couple of years ago.  It's called
a //c!  You just buy one (from 47th Computer - it'll cost you MUCH less
that the DRAM and hassle multi-processing on a IIgs would involve) and
plop it down on the desk next to the //e or IIgs.  You let the //c download
files whilst "creating" on the IIgs, or let the faster IIgs calcluate the
mandelbrot while you play Zaxxon on the //c.

The real beauty of a //c as a "multiprocessor" is if one program crashes,
the other isn't hung.  Even a SEVERE hardware crash necessitating a visit
to the Apple-doctor doesn't wipe out both systems (lightning bolts excepted).

---------------------
Disclaimer: The "look and feel" of this message is exclusively MINE!
            (subject to change without notice; void where prohibited)

ARPA:   sewall%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu       Murphy A. Sewall
BITNET: SEWALL@UCONNVM                          School of Business Admin.
UUCP:   ...ihnp4!psuvax1!UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL  University of Connecticut

ralphw@ius3.ius.cs.cmu.edu (Ralph Hyre) (06/21/88)

In article <8806200247.aa09779@SMOKE.BRL.ARPA> SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) writes:
>>Well, why does anyone want multi-tasking in the first place?  I mean
>>*REALLY*?  Think about it...
>Gee, I discovered the solution to that a couple of years ago.  It's called
>a //c!  You just buy one (from 47th Computer - it'll cost you MUCH less
>that the DRAM and hassle multi-processing on a IIgs would involve) 
Well, I did that (I have a //e and ][+), but now I find that I want to do 5
things at the same time (word processing, MIDI music composition, home control,
voice mail, packet radio BBS, phone BBS, and dialing to work.)

The granularity of rebooting is a bit too slow and destructive for this mix of
applications, so I really want things co-resident, and maybe doing something 
when I'm not 'working' on the main thing.
-- 
					- Ralph W. Hyre, Jr.

Internet: ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu    Phone:(412)268-{2847,3275} CMU-{BUGS,DARK}
Amateur Packet Radio: N3FGW@W2XO, or c/o W3VC, CMU Radio Club, Pittsburgh, PA