What is Multitasking ?
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Multitasking, as defined by Cray, is a term for Parallel Processing where a program makes use of multiple CPU's built into the hardware of a Parallel Vector Processor. While multiprocessing refers to utilizing multiple cpus to execute multiple jobs, multitasking refers to a single job utilizing multiple cpus to execute. What is Multitasking? Simply put, Multitasking is the ability to do more than one thing at any given time. When referring to computers, multitasking is having more than one application open at a time. This means that while you are downloading from the Internet, you are checking your email, playing solitaire all while finishing the letter to aunt Gracie. You're limited only by your computer's hardware and yourself. To multitask efficiently, a computer needs a good amount of processing power and more importantly, memory. There's a couple of simple commands to make life easier while multitasking. First, if you have Windows 98 or later, you can click on the desktop icon located just to the right of the start menu. This will minimize all of the programs that are currently running and allow for you to open more programs. The next command will be the minimize, maximize and close program keys located in the upper right hand corner of most programs. The close is the X while the minimize is the _ while the maximize is the square. To see what programs are running you either look at the task bar at the bottom of the screen, or you can press control-alt-delete for a list of all open programs. The easiest and most popular way to switch between programs would be to press Alt-Tab. A screen will appear and allow you to proceed from there with ease! As you can see, it really saves time having multiple programs open at once. Once you get the hang of it, you too can be a computer multitasker. |
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