Author Topic: ArcaOS is the best multitasking system there is  (Read 3648 times)

David Graser

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 878
  • Karma: +89/-0
    • View Profile
ArcaOS is the best multitasking system there is
« on: November 30, 2023, 06:01:59 am »
While developing and testing the BigIcons, I took advantage of the systems mutitasking environment.  I had XPager set up for 5  desktops or rooms or whatever you want to call them.  I had FM/2 opened in the first, the second desktop ready to use another instance of FM/2 or PMView when needed, PMView in the third, Small (a text editor I purchased over 20 years ago in the fourth, with the 5th used to open folders and properties to get and check info, along with restarting the desktop.

I discovered you can only restart the desktop approximately 10 times before XPager disappears and the system has to be rebooted.  I can't imagine trying to do what I did under Windows.  What I did in 2 weeks, it would have be months under Windows.  As it was, I worked around 10 hours or more each day to get it to the presently level.  The wife wasn't happy.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2023, 06:11:29 am by David Graser »

David Graser

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 878
  • Karma: +89/-0
    • View Profile
Re: ArcaOS is the best multitasking system there is
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2024, 07:44:17 pm »
If we had the development tools, ArcaOS would be the ideal development platform.  Why?

You can set up desktop workspace folders, where when you open a folder, the programs are there that you need for that job.

With Xpager you can have as many desktops as you need to accomplish your work.

You can set programs to open more than once.  This is very useful with XPager.  This has helped me tremendously with the bigicons I have been working with.

We have dragtext which allows us to drag text to other applications.

We have the schedule tab in the program objects properties which allows one to schedule a program to run.

The RAM disks are great for temporarily storing files while working.

JTA mentioned virtualization to where you can open ArcaOS in Windows and eliminate a lot of limitations ArcaOS has.

IBM was a fool.  Developers should have been one of the markets they targeted.

I hate having to do things in Windows.  The desktop gets cluttered.  You can only open one instance of the program.  Believe me when I tell you it would have been many months to do the bigicons themes if I had to use only Windows.  In Windows, they have to setup external monitors to do what Xpager does.

 
« Last Edit: January 07, 2024, 08:03:59 pm by David Graser »

Andi B.

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 821
  • Karma: +11/-2
    • View Profile
Re: ArcaOS is the best multitasking system there is
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2024, 09:39:31 am »
I don't wanna say anything against your positive view on ArcaOS. But of course there are often similar tools for similar task with other OSes. F.i.
Quote
In Windows, they have to setup external monitors to do what Xpager does.
I use VirtuaWin (v4.5) on Win to replicate xpagers behavior and even set up the same keys for switching between the pages. There are other tools which do the same. But long time ago when I looked for it I choosed this one.

I also have DesktopOK and WindowManager (DeskSoft) on every of my Win installations together with a lot of other utilities to make this OS somewhat user frindly (for me).

Remember, on OS/2 (ArcaOS) we also need different third party utilities (like XWP and a lot of others) to make the system behave the way we like it.

JTA

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 48
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: ArcaOS is the best multitasking system there is
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2024, 04:29:43 pm »
... in Windows.  The desktop gets cluttered.  You can only open one instance of the program.

While not arguing whether Win or OS/2 is the better OS for app development, I did ponder the "can you open multiple copies of same app, under windows" piece. I believe this is dependent upon the developer of the app, and if they restrict it, or if it doesn't make sense for there to be two or more copies of their app running under windows, there could be difficulties?

Launch a windows app, and then hold shift key and click the app on the windows toolbar, and see if a second copy of the program launches ... if a very specific program doesn't seem to work well with this method, then the developer may be checking for and restricting a 2nd running copy. In which case, we have to cheat ...

Use Sandboxie Plus, or create a 2nd acct & have that acct run another copy on the same machine.

Or, my personal favorite (a bit biased here) is to use virtualization, and just spin up multiple vm's running the same program, all accessing data on the shared filesystem space. Works for Windows, and for OS/2 (just not needed in OP's case) ... could be a tad expensive in licensing costs, though.

OP has a good scenario for *why* we use OS/2 instead of Windows, and I'm adding it to "the sales list" ... alongside OO desktop & such, where things just aren't as polished under Windows, to this day. Such examples make it easier to show OS/2 strengths to someone who thinks in only Windows or Linux terms ...

Hope this helps ...