Re: Running vs starting apps

["Guillermo S. Romero / Familia Romero" <famrom idecnet com>]

mbabcock fibrespeed net (2000-11-23 at 1859.13 -0500):
> cf. my previous post ...
> 
> ... but that aside, the task bar is those things that are taking up RAM
> -- from a ressources point of view, this is relevant.  On my handheld
> computer (an Apple Messagepad 120), all programs installed take up some
> amount of heap memory at all times so they can be activated based on the
> use of their data ressources, so there isn't much difference between
> starting a program and seeing that its already started.

Taking up RAM? Too techy. I preffer to call them those that are ready
to use, like an open book, while the others are closed and in the
shelf. The handhelds are a bit different, I believe, they are more
"always ready" things, normal computers are not so ready.

> ... but from another standpoint, many people have become accustomed to
> running multiple copies of programs (because of poor MDI interfaces,
> mostly).  We can encourage this, or simply have a better way for people
> to switch between programs and/or launch programs that are already
> running (like starting a new browser window when you click on "Mozilla"
> instead of a new instance of Mozilla).

Sometimes cos you preffer to limit damages. Bug free apps are rare,
launching multiple provides some security (users solving coder
problems ;] ). Also, you can need different settings for different
tasks, and having different apps is easier than getting the coders to
do it. I dunno if this a good example: I can have a red and a blue
pen, but can I have two red pens, three green and one blue? I guess I
can, even if all the green one paint in the same way, and the red ones
in a slightly different way.

GSR