Re: STiNG, CAB, and Multitasking (strikes back)

[Peter Rottengatter <perot@pallas.amp.uni-hannover.de>]

On Mon, 9 Mar 1998, Jo Even Skarstein wrote:

> On Mon, 9 Mar 1998, Peter Rottengatter wrote:
> 
> > I agree here, though I must add, when talking about major irritations,
> > then one should take into account that the whole business of having
> > some programs before others is totally confusing for many users that
> > aren't that deep into TOS details, especially as most desktops sort
> 
> I have never had any problems with sorting the auto-folder, but I know
> that some people have. But in most cases the documentation mention it
> if a program needs to be run before or after some specific piece of
> software.

There are too many combinations of software, they cannot all be mentioned
in all the docs. MiNT just happens to be a particular famous one, for
which most software would state such stuff. But then again it's useless,
who reads documentations ? Virtually nobody, that's one thing that I've
learned while programming STinG.


> I can't see what the big deal is, some programs depends on the
> presence of other programs in other situations as well. With proper
> documentation this isn't a problem at all.
> 
> ...
>
> programs or features installed by other programs. Can all these be
> "fixed"? Doubtful, the running-order in c:\auto is something we all
> have to live with.

I said it cannot be avoided in all cases. But it should be avoided where
it's so easy. At least the possibility of the situation that I described
in my earlier post (app A must run before B, and B must run before A for
some other reason) clearly dictates that IMHO.


> Well, if this particular fix doesn't have any negative effects I can't
> see any reasons not to do it. But it's also a matter of time and
> resources, there are a lot of other things in MiNT that's more urgent
> to fix.

I have offered to Konrad in my first posting that I'd write up the code
and you only need to insert it into the MiNT code where necessary.


> BTW. why can't programmers put in checks in their TSR's when possible?
> The only program I've seen recently that does this is MetaDOS, which
> says "MetaDOS must run before MiNT!" if it detects MiNT. In many cases

Trouble is, it works only one way, i.e. only programs that are supposed 
to run first can do this. MiNT can do it, if it detects STinG (I`m not
saying that it should of course). What should STinG do ? For STinG it's
fine if MiNT has been loaded before, and it's fine if MiNT has not been
loaded before if it's not gonna be loaded afterwards !


Cheers  Peter

---------------------------------------------------------------------
   Peter Rottengatter       perot@pallas.amp.uni-hannover.de
                            http://www.stud.uni-hannover.de/~perot
---------------------------------------------------------------------