Re: Supervisor mode & multitasking

[Konrad Kokoszkiewicz <draco@piwo.bl.pg.gda.pl>]

> >Yes, it may be. But sometimes it may be nice to have an option to
> >write/run a program, which takes an advantage of being the only task in
> >the system to utilize the full processing power of the CPU. As the
> 
> I don't agree. We should improve MiNT scheduling so a time intensive task
> will  get 97% (or more) of CPU power. Then, you wouldn't need to switch to
> singlemode.

It's almost the same, as 3% of the 68030 processing power won't be
sufficient for almost anything. Anyways, I have an impression that MiNT
scheduler can't be improved to a big extent (like twice as fast).

Pure Debugger doesn't work on 040? :)) Aren't those your own words, that
"everything works on Afterburner"? :)) So, what else is not "everything"?

> >work very well under MiNT). If you use a debugger to trace own program,
> >such a session takes rather minutes than hours, then you'd need to reboot
> >back to MiNT for other minutes (to fix something and compile program
> >again), then back to TOS to run the debugger to see if everything is OK...
> >pain, pain, just pain.
> 
> So we actually need a new debugger for MiNTOS, not singlemode in MiNT. OK, I
> agree - so let's develop a new, MiNT friendly debugger. Sven started work on
> something, it could even utilize special MiNT debugging features.

And where is Sven? Doesn't he endup like Jerry Geiger, who, after months
of dark silence finally decided to mail few persons that he left the Atari
world?

> >Well, horrible scenario. :) But notice now any program can stop
> >multitasking as well, using Supexec() for example (as EmuXL does when
> >entering the 6502 emulator). And, besides, Thing desktop doesn't need this
> >for itself, but for possibility of starting old software (like Pure
> >Debugger) in single mode when necessary...
> 
> sorry, I am still not convinced the single mode is really neccessary. It
> might be handy, but the danger of misuse is rather high, I am afraid.
> Similarly, the system call for switching to super mode while allowing task
> switching - this might affect complete system stability. Again, with such
> call there might appear applications which will be dangerous for whole
> operating system. Do I see the future too black?

Of course, such a program should be written with care.

Konrad M.Kokoszkiewicz
mail:draco@bl.pg.gda.pl
http://www.orient.uw.edu.pl/~conradus/

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