mikel@teda.Teradyne.COM (Mikel Lechner) (04/28/91)
ldstern@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Larry Stern) writes: >I think the problem here is the definition of "true multitasking". >My defintion precludes the use of one CPU, ie. the only true multi- >tasking is on parallel processing machines with multiple CPUs. By your definition the 80286 and 80386 do not multitask. And neither do most of the other computers in the world. I must disagree. What you're describing is called multiprocessing not multitasking. Multiprocessing requires multiple CPUs. Multitasking is an emulation of multiprocessing on a single CPU. This is a common interpretation. So, yes Windows does multitask, although not very well. DOS does not multitask, but you can make it multitask. Of course any multitasking based on DOS will be poor due to lack of basic facilities like asynchronous I/O. But this is another entire discussion topic. -- Mikel Lechner UUCP: teda!mikel Teradyne EDA, Inc. 5155 Old Ironsides Drive | If you explain so clearly that nobody Santa Clara, Ca 95054 | can misunderstand, somebody will.