"chaz_heritage.WGC1RX"@XEROX.COM (09/22/89)
In his 30 Aug 89 00:02:14 GMT Chuck McManis writes: >Lets see if we can find those silent individuals who can present the opposing cases. These would be...the ST/Mac/PC user who is saying : "You know, if only I had a multitasking OS, this is what I could accomplish."< Here I am. My girlfriend (graphic designer / musician) and I love our STs, but we both could do with a multitasking OS. She in order to run the video digitiser while remapping large bitmap blocks, or something equally esoteric (Steinberg's M-ROS allows multitasking of sampler, sequencer etc. but we don't got that yet), and I to be able to write the sort of document I can do at work. Xerox Viewpoint (which I'm using now) allows the creation of a document with pictures in it. You insert a graphics frame into the doc with a hotkey and, when you click inside it, the object-oriented graphics package is invoked. Clicking outside restarts the doc editor. You can add bits to the pic as you think of them, or add more words to explain the pic, or whatever, without having to close the doc window. As a technical author I use this all the time. On my ST (Meagre-1, mono, with 65Mb HD) I have to do the following: Run 1st Word Plus (don't care what you say, I like it). Write some of the doc. Decide that 1 pic=1000 words and decide to do pic. Save and quit. Run Degas. Draw pic. Save as uncompressed and quit. Put file in appropriate partition. Check that Snapshot is running. Run Degasnap. Call file. Snapshot image. Save as .IMG and quit. Run 1st Word Plus. Enable graphics mode. Read .IMG file. Discover that I've made one little mistake.... As you can see, integrated multitasking software would make a colossal difference to the speed of doc preparation. Much as I'd like a Xerox 6085 workstation (for those unfamiliar with it, it's a custom-silicon 16/32-bit microcode machine in an elegant tower, with a 19" megascreen and some very neat software) I can't afford it, even with employee discount (were such a thing to exist). I've every intention of buying a TTX (if I feel sensible & businesslike) or an ATW (if I feel megalomaniacal) when the time comes, but.... I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PAY A SOFTWARE COMPANY A REASONABLE, PROFESSIONAL PRICE FOR A REASONABLE, PROFESSIONAL MULTITASKING BUSINESS / DOCUMENTATION SUITE TO RUN ON MY ST! (Do you suppose they're listening?) I have hacked up my system with NeoDesk (highly recommended) to resemble ViewPoint visually, but it just ain't the same.... Multitasking, Chaz
dnewton@carroll1.UUCP (Dave Newton) (09/24/89)
the example you gave wasn't multi-tasking, it was task-switching. Don't get me wrong, that is useful too. I would use multi-tasking quite a bit if I had it, i.e. compiling while word-processing, word-processing while file-transferring, etc... Is there any chance of Atari putting out an official Unix-like environment like Apple's AUX (but with better access to GEM calls/VDI/XBIOS/BIOS)? That would be nice, especially if it would run on a 1 MEG ST. (Can't afford a memory upgrade yet) -- David L. Newton | dnewton@carroll1.UUCP | Quote courtesy of (414) 524-7343 (work) | dnewton@carroll1.cc.edu | Marie Niechwiadowicz, (414) 524-6809 (home) | 100 NE Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186 | Boston College. [Q]: How many surrealists does it take to screw in a light bulb? [A]: The fish.
covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (09/25/89)
In article <890922-074417-3556@Xerox>, "chaz_heritage.WGC1RX"@XEROX.COM writes: > In his 30 Aug 89 00:02:14 GMT Chuck McManis writes: > > >Lets see if we can find those silent individuals who can present the > opposing cases. These would be...the ST/Mac/PC user who is saying : > "You know, if only I had a multitasking OS, this is what > I could accomplish."< I would like to see the TT support multitasking, multi-windowing with the following applications: 1) A good CASE tools, to allow for full flowcharting and data flow diagramming in one window 2) C compiler/editor in another window 3) C source code level debugger in another window 4) A Shell in another window (to look at directories, or anything else). This would allow me to write C programs, make flow charts for same alot easier then anything I can currently do on my Mega ST4. Right now, I can buy the CASE tools for a Mac IIX, but even the Mac IIX does support REAL multi-tasking multi-windowing. But, sun Workstations and Apollow Workstations support multi-windowing. They are a little out of my price range though. If the TT could come out with the multi-tasking multi-windowing OS it would be a start. But, there start aren't any professional CASE tools out for the ST (or by extension the TT) yet. So, thats what I would like to see in a TT !! P.S. Oh yes, I need another window to play Flight Simulator in when I get bored coding!!!! Richard Covert
hyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu) (09/26/89)
In article <45da0716.14a1f@force.UUCP> covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) writes: >But, sun Workstations and Apollow Workstations support multi-windowing. >They are a little out of my price range though. Well, old 3/50s and 3/60s are pretty cheap now that Sun's 030 machines are out. And Apollo has some nice new 68030 based workstations that are relatively cheap, like in the $2500 range for a base system. (16MHz 030, 8MB RAM, 1280x960 mono 19" display... Cool stuff.) > >If the TT could come out with the multi-tasking multi-windowing OS it would >be a start. But, there start aren't any professional CASE tools out for the >ST (or by extension the TT) yet. Hm... gdb runs on the ST now. Pretty intense debugging system... > >So, thats what I would like to see in a TT !! >P.S. Oh yes, I need another window to play Flight Simulator in when I get >bored coding!!!! Yeehah! I prefer arcade shoot-em-ups, though Falcon is pretty cool... > >Richard Covert -- -=- PrayerMail: Send 100Mbits to holyghost@father.son[127.0.0.1] and You Too can have a Personal Electronic Relationship with God!
john@cooper.cooper.EDU (John Barkaus) (09/28/89)
> I would like to see the TT support multitasking, multi-windowing with the > following applications: > Hi, My request is even simpler. I would like to see the TT in the metropolitan N.Y. area any time soon. When I bought my ST almost three years ago I was told that the TT would be out in less than six months. I would like to get one but how long must I wait ?? It would be really great if someone at Atari could give us some information about this ( even an approximate release date would be appreciated ). Any info will be appreciated. Thanks, John John M. Barkaus at the Cooper Union, NY, NY. INTERNET: john%cooper.cooper.edu@cmcl2.nyu.edu UUCP: cmcl2!cooper!john
TW6PSANU@MIAMIU.BITNET (Todd Whitehead) (09/29/89)
You don't need multitasking, you need revolver. revolver will let you have all of those programs in memory at the same time and allow you to switch between them. files can be transfered among the different programs through a common ramdisk. also, you can "roll-out" a partition to disk. you could have 1st word in a partition with a document started and roll it out to disk, turn off the st, go away and come back later and roll it back in. everything will be like it was when you left. (cursor position and all!) Todd Whitehead Miami University Oxford, Ohio Opinions are my own, as I don't work for anybody...YET!