

Multitasking - ugh
http://ignorethecode.net/blog/2011/03/04/multitasking/

======
Groxx
The important bits, IMO:

> _However, the argument that multitasking on computers is bad because humans
> can’t multitask is flawed. It uses the word «multitasking» in two different
> ways, but implies that the two kinds of multitasking are somehow the same
> thing. They’re not: a task (or an app) on a computer, and a task performed
> by a human don’t map to each other one-to-one. In fact, a single task
> performed by a human can easily make use of several applications running
> concurrently on a computer.

...

The fact that the iPad only lets me see one app at a time often does not help
me focus. Instead, it forces me to switch between apps constantly, thus
preventing me from focusing on my task. Every time I have to deal with the
iPad’s task switching, I’m interrupted._

About time someone with some blog-clout said something like this. Full-screen
application switching has a far _far_ greater mental-cost than having two
windows open at the same time. And preventing two windows from being open at a
time just cripples those who would benefit from it (and enforces application
uber-silos).

~~~
ehsanul
_Full-screen application switching has a far far greater mental-cost than
having two windows open at the same time._

As an XMonad user with a 15.4" screen, I disagree. For example, when
programming, I find it quite easy/fast to alt+1 to my browser for
documentation, and alt+8 to go to my 8th workspace, where I usually have a
couple terminals open with vim. Or sometimes I'm switching between those two
and Gimp on workspace 6.

This doesn't really require XMonad, just having workspaces and quick shortcuts
for moving through them is good enough. Most applications are easier to use
when you give them the whole screen (at least smaller screens). But yeah, if
you're using some sort of taskbar/dock to switch between applications with
your mouse, it's probably easier to just have both open together.

~~~
Groxx
This is true, a very-fast screen switcher mitigates the cost heavily, maybe
even negates it entirely. Alt-tab never did it for me, too unpredictable. On
OSX, while developing with a single monitor, I pretty often split my things
between 4 desktops, and it's great.

On Windows, on the other hand, _nothing_ switches quickly. Ever. And it takes
a long time for applications to "wake up" after even short periods of non-use.
Nothing but a second monitor has ever saved me.

On the iPad, currently, the situation is far worse than even Windows users
suffer through. Double-tap the home button, and click the application (maybe
scrolling between), which isn't in a static location. That's a non-screen
action, followed by a change in the UI, followed by a touch, followed by a
comparatively-slow transition. I liked someone-here's suggestion of gestures
solving this, but single-tasking on anything without a separate keyboard is a
total efficiency-crap-shoot everywhere, from what I've seen.

~~~
xiongchiamiov
The issue that I have with desktop switching on my shiny new MacBook is that
OS X switches focus between _applications_ , not _windows_.

Here I've got vim and Firefox open, with the focus on vim. I switch to another
desktop to glance at some documentation (since the Firefox window on the first
desktop is for the application I'm developing), switch back and begin typing.
But alas! My key strokes are logged to Firefox, because that was the last
application I had focused, rather than to the last window I was using on the
desktop.

Aside from that, once I added some basic tiling functionality[0], it's not too
bad working on it, even for a someone as used to a tiling wm as me.

[0]: <https://github.com/fikovnik/ShiftIt>

~~~
Groxx
An interesting point... I typically have an application per desktop, so I
didn't encounter that.

I wonder if there's a simple-ish way to solve this? It seems like the sort of
thing a daemon could resolve.

------
Xuzz
Very interesting that webOS keeps showing up on top -- notifications,
multitasking, openness, overall polish and design -- when it has almost zero
market share.

Hopefully HP can continue what Palm started and make the very nice a better
competitor in other areas where Palm wasn't doing as well: hardware,
availability, marketing.

~~~
sans-serif
Sadly HP is probably just looking to push WebOS into printers.

~~~
Xuzz
I'd agree with you if they hadn't recently announced the Pre 3, Veer, and
<http://www.palm.com/us/products/pads/touchpad/index.html>

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farlington
Browsing Pad, a combination web browser and notes app, addresses the author's
need to browse the web and take notes simultaneously:
<http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/browsing-pad/id385931831?mt=8>

He has a great point about the distinction between user and OS multitasking.
But if and until iOS changes, it means that there are more opportunities for
developers to addresses those niches.

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jsz0
Not sure how they could pull off a good windowed UI on a tablet sized device.
1024x768 with the requirement of finger friendly tap targets is a big hurdle.
I suppose apps could have a compact UI mode of sorts so you could switch
between full screen and windowed mode. Something like switching from the iPad
version to the iPhone sized version. In that case you could fit 4 apps on the
screen at once. I think it's more likely Apple will adopt the OSX Lion Mission
Control feature on iOS5. A quick four finger swipe up to activate it with a
live preview.

~~~
malnourish
You know, with the new thunderbolt tech, maybe one day we can see the iPad
complimented with an Apple display, using it like a drawing tablet or an extra
screen as well.

I don't know how practical or good of an idea this is, but if it has any merit
I'm sure someone more sober than I can put it eloquently.

~~~
Groxx
Kinda like these, but with a hell of a lot more power:
<http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/usb-gadgets/bfa3/>

------
bingaman
I think that in some ways the general trend has been toward you working for
your computer instead of your computer working for you. Personally, I get a
lot done during the day that I don't even have to think about because I put a
little bit of time into setting up some cron scripts a long time ago. I still
count that toward things I'm getting done. Without being able to background
apps, it's something that's seriously missing from iOS (please correct me if
I'm wrong).

~~~
hallmark
Any useful examples of the type of work that you "cron out"?

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brianpan
A great point in the article, but IMO this is a function of the screen size,
not iOS.

The core problem is reducing the pain of switching apps. On a desktop, screen
resolution and space allows you to position windows side-by-side or
overlapping. On iOS you have to double-tap, and select an app from the bottom
dock to switch to. Android has the same problem- you press the home button,
and choose an app to switch to. Both forces the user to focus on managing
apps, instead of focusing on the desired "task".

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wladimir
Repeating "people can't multitask" as many times as possible doesn't make it
true. People can multitask. Some can do it better than others, but everyone
can.

~~~
mcrider
People can multitask perfectly fine when the tasks they are doing are
automatic (that's why you can usually drive and have a conversation [with a
passenger] at the same time without any difficulty). When you're doing
multiple things that require cognitive resources, your brain has to share its
(surprisingly limited) short-term computational power/memory, resulting in
decreased performance.

There aren't many things people do on computers that are automatic (at least
not many things I do). But I'm typing this on a computer with three monitors,
and I can say objectively that my efficiency is way higher than if I had one
small screen with at least two clicks to get to my next app.

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nhebb
Does anyone else think that the definition of multitasking got corrupted?
Perhaps it became influenced by computer multitasking, where two or more
things are done in seemingly real time. What I always took multitasking to
mean was that over the course of a work day, week, month, a person would have
a lot of different responsibilities and would need to switch among them.

Today, I designed an icon, provided customer service, wrote some technical
documentation, did a little programming, and a few other disparate tasks. Each
of these tasks required a different skill set, and there was a productivity
hit every time I needed to get into a new frame of mind and, in some cases,
figure out where I left off. So in this context, multitasking was activities
done over the course of the day, not simultaneous ones.

~~~
joe_the_user
I believe the computer term came first and so the "human" term only has
meaning as analogy to the computer term.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking>

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rickcecil
Surprised no one has mentioned the Eden UI on Notion Ink's Adam. It allows you
to run three apps side-by-side in compact view. Pretty slick, really. See:
<http://notionink.com>

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ezy
I think the solution to this problem for tablets isn't having multiple apps
running in the same screen. It's having multiple screens. Tablets are
relatively cheap, what's missing (currently) is transparent communication
between them. Once that happens, tablets will actually become _more_ humane
than a single huge desktop. Just buy three... :-)

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sudonim
This argument is my biggest issue with chrome os. Im all for the browser as
the os, but I can't put two tabs side by side. A really common use case is
writing an article where you're referencing other online sources. Really easy
with a two screens or a split screen... really hard when you're switching back
and forth.

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jamesjyu
And this is why my favorite Mac shortcut is Cmd-Alt-H (hide all windows except
the one in focus)

~~~
pestaa
I use "Maximize window" for this purpose.

~~~
HaloZero
I use SizeUp for moving around my windows. It helps to keep terminals, code,
browser and web inspector in their particular positions and if something needs
focus I can make it maximized.

~~~
warrenwilkinson
I use ratpoison for X11 (<http://www.nongnu.org/ratpoison/>) (1 Full screen
program at a time. CTRL+T, # to switch, CTRL+T, w to get a list of running
programs.

~~~
malnourish
Wow! I know I've seen things like that in the past. Can you use it with
multiple monitors?

~~~
warrenwilkinson
Yes. Definitely. Ratpoison has another keybind for switching which monitor is
the recipient of window change commands.

