Another "Real World"
Well - this whole thread seems to consider only what you all call "Multi-tasking" in an office (Perhaps Software-development) environment.
To me, Multi-tasking involves a real-time set of software processes controlling some sort of industrial process.
(Say, loading a ship with liquid gas ?)
Each hardware process carries on simultaneously, and continuously, (in real time) whilst the software processes monitoring or controlling it run intermittently, controlled by a scheduler module.
Real time computers are ALL Analogue computers.
The CPU Multi-tasks (Now called Multi-Threading, I think), running each software process in sequence.
This sequence varies, as the needs of the Industrial processes dictate.
Multi-tasking occurs (seen simplistically) at two levels:
1/ The CPU runs multiple tasks cyclically.
and
2/ The operator views various "Windows" on the screen, each of which may be updated either continuously, or intermittently. He "Multi-tasks" between windows, viewing display changes.
He also may be called on to use judgement and change the changes imposed by the software processes.
A MS Windows PC lacks an in-built task scheduler which is able to be used adequately by the Systems Developer. Ergo - Windows cannot properly be made to Multi-Task in a way which permits any one program (process) to promote itself in the Task Table.......
Well, I'm rattlin' on too long.
If you want to make Windows Multi-Task, you have to first write a Task Scheduler module, I thought.
Or am I out of date ?
Biting the hand that feeds IT
