Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!watcgl!wsflinn
From: wsflinn@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Scott Flinn)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Multitasking revisited
Keywords: primitive ape like beings, digital watches
Message-ID: <10977@watcgl.waterloo.edu>
Date: 9 Aug 89 22:46:06 GMT
References: <8908041840.AA00412@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <4522@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu>
Reply-To: wsflinn@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Scott Flinn)
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 69

In article <4522@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> yuan@uhccux.UUCP (Yuan 'Hacker' Chang) writes:
>In article <8908041840.AA00412@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> 01659@AECLCR.BITNET (Greg Csullog) writes:

>-You don't need a full blown multitasking environment for something as simple
>-as file transfers in the background!
>
>	Alright!  8)  If I want to run spell-checking on a document in
>my word processor, heck, re-write the word processor so that it
>runs in the background.  After all, I don't need a full blown
>multitasking environment for something as simple as spell-checking in
>the background.  While I'm at it, I might as well re-write my database
>manager so that it'll generate reports, re-index, and sort in the
>background; re-write my spreadsheet program so that it'll recalculate
>in the background; re-write the CAD program so that it'll re-draw in the
>background.  

Sorry, but I can't buy it.

I don't consider myself a power user, but I typically write about 15,000 lines
of C code per term for my course work.  I have the enormous luxury of being
surrounded by workstations (microvaxen, VaxStation (2000, 3100), Suns)
which I use regularly.  I use X Windows, and rarely have fewer than six
windows open with various combinations of shells and interactive X
applications (let's see ... I'm currently working with nine).  I have on
occasion put all of this equipment to marvelous use (eg. in the spring, while
implementing a ray tracer for a graphics course, I often had several
compiles, several test tracings, LaTeX running a couple of times preparing
my last minute documentation, all running together while I swapped between
a couple of VI sessions).

But you, sir, have me beat.  My own humble brain just can't multitask as
fast as your Amiga (or whatever).  I can honestly say that I am
completely incapable of concentrating on a spell check session (which
will undoubtedly require my attention within seconds), a database session,
a spreadsheet session and a CAD session.

In fact, since this discussion began, I have carefully monitored my usage
of multitasking while using the multivarious UNIX boxes around here, and
I can honestly say that, since Greg Csullog's original article first
appeared, I HAVE NOT BENEFITTED FROM MULTITASKING.  I am doing task
SWITCHING like its going out of style, but I just can't keep up with
more than a couple of things.  When I go home at night and turn on my
Atari, I squint at its tiny screen, gripe about its attached keyboard,
whail and moan about its buggy OS, but I have never been using a word
processor and suddenly wished I could format a disk, download a file
edit a spreadsheet, and play a game SIMULTANEOUSLY.  I would kill for
a good task switching mechanism (and enough memory to use it), but the
kind of multitasking that is beyond the ability of a good task switcher
(eg. Multi-Finder) would be a scarcely used luxury.

This is just my opinion.  I don't doubt that there are people who really
do benefit from multitasking.  I even find it convenient once every other
month.  Perhaps I have not evolved sufficiently, and will grow to need
multitasking as my brain develops.  But please don't assume that the only
people who think they don't need multitasking are those who haven't
tried it.


>Yuan Chang 				      "What can go wrong, did"
>UUCP:      {uunet,ucbvax,dcdwest}!ucsd!nosc!uhccux!yuan
>ARPA:	   uhccux!yuan@nosc.MIL               "Wouldn't you like to 
>INTERNET:  yuan@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu         be an _A_m_i_g_o_i_d too?!?"


Cheers (and sorry for the length).
-- 
Me:      Scott Flinn                   /  "If it doesn't fit, force it.
Domain:  wsflinn@watcgl.waterloo.edu  /  If it breaks, then it didn't
UUCP:    watmath!watcgl!wsflinn      /  fit anyway."