Multitask in DOS

[Magnum]

Some of you may find this interesting.

I did not understand this statement. I thought you couldn't multitask in DOS ?

Andy

Code Select Expand


And another difference is that the Windows idle loop in Enhanced mode would issue a special call to release its time slice to any multi-tasking MS-DOS applications. (If you were running in Standard mode, there were no multi-tasking MS-DOS applications, so there was nobody to release your time slice to.)


http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2013/02/08/10392028.aspx

[FORTRANS]

Hi,

   Windows 3.x Enhanced Mode can support more than one
open DOS program.  Windows 3.x Standard Mode can only
run one DOS program.  And there are other programs that
can load more than one DOS program so you can switch
between them.  DesqView, Software Carousel, MS-DOS SHELL,
and so forth.  Hence "Multitasking" though only one program
runs at a time in most of those.  Windows NT+, Linux, OS/2,
and others can run more than one DOS program at the same,
time, often with horrible performance.

HTH,

Steve N.

[Gunther]

Hi Andy,

it's another kind of multitasking. Nowadays we've pre-emptive MT; in the Windows 3.1 and 3.11 days, we had co-operative MT.

Gunther

[Magnum]

I forgot about Deskview.

I used to like using Norton Commander.

I tried using it again, but it has directory and file limits and can't show everything.

Andy

[BlueMR2]

Hi Andy,

it's another kind of multitasking. Nowadays we've pre-emptive MT; in the Windows 3.1 and 3.11 days, we had co-operative MT.

Gunther

There's also some hybrids out there.  DESQview/TopView were pre-emptive, but you could also voluntarily give up your time slice early too.