armhold@topaz.rutgers.edu (George Armhold) (02/11/89)
I just had a long argument with an IBM owner about multitasking.
I happened to remark that while I was talking to him via the ntalk
command on UNIX, I was composing a .signature file with on my Amiga.
He went into all sorts of long discussion about how the Amiga (and all
other computers) only mimic multitasking, because they are not
re-entrant (a term I do not understand.) He said "wow, I can do the
same thing on my PC." (referring to using a term package and a word
processor at the same time.) I told him that the Amiga can have
several tasks running simultaneously, and ALL tasks are ACTIVE, not
just a dead window. I don't mean to cause all sorts of flames or
computer bashing, but I would like someone to explain to me the
various differences between "true" multitasking and what the Amiga
does (if in deed there is a difference). Comparisons to the IBM PC,
Mac, ST, or any other micros are encouraged. Perhaps you would do
better to E-mail me so as not to cause alot of un-needed bashing on
this great net. I'd hate to be the originator of another "my computer
is better than yours!" war. Thanks in advance and again, please
surpress your flames...
-GEAarmhold@topaz.rutgers.edu (George Armhold) (02/11/89)
Thanks to everyone who e-mailed me concerning the superiority of Amiga
multitasking over that of the IBM. I threw alot of info at
this guy but frankly, he didn't wanna hear it. (What's that, did I
hear someone whisper "typical IBM user" under their breath?? :-)
Anyway, I try not to argue with someone who's had alot more experience
than myself in a particular subject area- I tend to lose. Thanks
again...
-GEA
--
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Save a bunny- stop the Draize. |armhold@topaz.rutgers.edu
|
"We saw the wrong and the right. We were for life |Careful with that axe,
and we would never concede it." |Eugene...
-T. Scholz |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sullivan@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall) (02/14/89)
> > I just had a long argument with an IBM owner about multitasking. >I happened to remark that while I was talking to him via the ntalk >command on UNIX, I was composing a .signature file with on my Amiga. >He went into all sorts of long discussion about how the Amiga (and all >other computers) only mimic multitasking, because they are not >re-entrant (a term I do not understand.) He said "wow, I can do the Reentrant refers to the ability of a piece of code to support more than one program at a time, or in a row. Reentrant code must allocate all of its state data dynamically in order to support any number of processes, and must use no self-modifying code in order to be internally consistent for any process to take control at any time. Almost all of the new 1.3 commands are truly reentrant. To use them in a reentrant fashion you can make them resident. The Amiga libraries have always been reentrant. As many processes can be using the libraries at once as the multitasking kernel can support. >same thing on my PC." (referring to using a term package and a word >processor at the same time.) I told him that the Amiga can have >several tasks running simultaneously, and ALL tasks are ACTIVE, not >just a dead window. I don't mean to cause all sorts of flames or >computer bashing, but I would like someone to explain to me the >various differences between "true" multitasking and what the Amiga >does (if in deed there is a difference). Comparisons to the IBM PC, >Mac, ST, or any other micros are encouraged. Perhaps you would do One of the reasons that many software companies are having trouble porting to the Amiga is that it isn't tolerant of many of the abuses that are common on the PC's. If your task allocates memory, and doesn't ever free it, it will be automatically returned to the system when the program terminates. This is easily done on the PC, which only runs one task at a time (TSR's have more strict rules.) The Amiga doesn't support resource tracking by the operating system. This was a design decision which grew out of the basic premise that the Amiga was a microcomputer. If your task crashes, or doesn't release resources, it isn't as though you'll lose 20 users, and have to fsck for the rest of the day. The last couple of files open may be corrupt, but the filesystem is checked automatically when you reboot, and no doubt the designers imagined that most of the programs running on the machine would be well behaved. If so many programmer hadn't grown used to having all of their resources released for them, they might well be well behaved. The only other weakness of the Amiga OS is that it doesn't have any provisions for multiprocessing. I don't think it will be very long before multiprocessing systems start invading the home computer market. (Anyone is welcome to tell me that I'm dead wrong at this point. (About the OS that is, not about multiprocessing.)) > -GEA -Sullivan Segall ----------------------------------------------------------------------- BSCS Vanderbilt Univ. 1987. Just to prove that I can BS with the best. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Mail all greivances to: Sullivan@cup.portal.com