Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!unsvax!jimi!otto!rex
From: rex@otto.lvsun.com (Rex Jolliff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Multitasking on the ST
Message-ID: <968@otto.lvsun.com>
Date: 12 Aug 89 10:41:53 GMT
References: <8908021826.AA05333@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <62441@linus.UUCP> <4050@hall.cray.com> <62828@linus.UUCP>
Reply-To: rex@otto.lvsun.com (Rex Jolliff)
Organization: Las Vegas Sun
Lines: 32

In article <62828@linus.UUCP> rachamp@mbunix (Champeaux) writes:

>Now there's a point to debate.  Do you really need memory protection on a
>single user multi-tasking computer.  On a multi-user computer, memory
>protection is a necessity, since if one user's program crashes, you don't
>want to bring down the 50 other users.  On a personal computer, where cost
>is an important factor, is it really necessary?  (kind of sounds like the
>question "Is multi-tasking really necessary?" doesn't it?)
>It would, however, be really nice.

>Rich Champeaux  (rachamp@mbunix.mitre.org)

I don't see why it should cost more than about $20 to implement a
reasonable memory management scheme on a personal computer like the
Atari ST or the Amiga.  It would be real nice to have, especially for
software developers.  This kind of personal computer really doesn't
need it though.  I seem to crash each computer equally as often when
writing code for them.  It takes longer to reboot the Amiga though.
Another advantage to a reasonably implemented memory
protection/management scheme is that the code to relocate executables
before they ran could be eliminated.

								Rex.



-- 
Rex Jolliff  (rex@otto.lvsun.com, {convex, texsun, mirror}!otto!rex)
The Sun Newspaper -            |Disclaimer:  The opinions and comments in
Nevada's Largest Daily Morning | this article are my own and in no way
Newspaper                      | reflect the opinions of my employers.
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