Is Multitasking Possible?

[psyko_chewbacca]

Hi, I'm really interested in buying a pandora as soon as it comes out but I would really like to know if the Linux system developped for it will be like a mini operating system like on standard computers?

Will we be able to open multiple programs (like browsing with firefox as you chat on pidgin) or will it be like on gaming consoles where you can only launch one application at a time?

I know that Ram size and CPU speed is somewhat limited but still that would be awesome as I wouldn't need a laptop anymore as basically all I do with it is go on the internet, chat on messenger and watch movies (but all at the same time).

Thanks!

 

[icurafu]

Hi, I'm really interested in buying a pandora as soon as it comes out but I would really like to know if the Linux system developped for it will be like a mini operating system like on standard computers?

Will we be able to open multiple programs (like browsing with firefox as you chat on pidgin) or will it be like on gaming consoles where you can only launch one application at a time?

I know that Ram size and CPU speed is somewhat limited but still that would be awesome as I wouldn't need a laptop anymore as basically all I do with it is go on the internet, chat on messenger and watch movies (but all at the same time).

Thanks!

This depends on the operating system used. If the default one does not support this, you could install one that would allow this.

 

[Tom`]

Hi, I'm really interested in buying a pandora as soon as it comes out but I would really like to know if the Linux system developped for it will be like a mini operating system like on standard computers?

Will we be able to open multiple programs (like browsing with firefox as you chat on pidgin) or will it be like on gaming consoles where you can only launch one application at a time?

I know that Ram size and CPU speed is somewhat limited but still that would be awesome as I wouldn't need a laptop anymore as basically all I do with it is go on the internet, chat on messenger and watch movies (but all at the same time).

Thanks!

The default interface will probably not include such an environment, but you can easily install a regular window manager, as one will probably be available from launch (even if a custom or optimized one isn't available, you can install the ARM build of Ubuntu, as was demonstrated in one of the latest Beagleboard videos).

 

[Yos-T]

The Pandora will come with linux, so yes, multitasking will be possible.
If there will be an easy way of bringing a task to the foreground (like ATL+TAB), I don't know, but it can be done.

With only 128MB ram and no swap you will run out of memory pretty quick if you want to run several big applications like a browser and a movie player.

 

[sindbad]

I'm betting the default interface will handle multitasking.

 

[psyko_chewbacca]

The Pandora will come with linux, so yes, multitasking will be possible.
If there will be an easy way of bringing a task to the foreground (like ATL+TAB), I don't know, but it can be done.

With only 128MB ram and no swap you will run out of memory pretty quick if you want to run several big applications like a browser and a movie player.

There won't be any chance of creating a swap file? That's odd,is it an hardware limitation? It could have been really useful for big MAME roms, if there's some bigger than 128mb on the version supported on the pandora(I'm no MAME wiz...).

Well still I would really like a working environnement which could allow me to chat on pidgin while browsing the net. That's all I ask!

 

[Yos-T]

It's probably possible to have swap space, but the only place you can put it is a sd card or the on board flash. Since flash is slow and not made for heavy writing, these are not good options.

Files over 128MB can still be used. It's not necessary to have the whole file in RAM at the same time. A MAME rom will never end up in swap, because it's read-only.

 

[Tobriand]

I'm hoping for multitasking in the default interface. I'm also pretty sure that will be the case.

I would not expect the interface to look anything like a desktop one, though.

 

[Patrick R Ludvigsen]

On my old laptop, I could get Firefox 2 working pretty well and even showing a few Youtube videos on 96mb of RAM, with XFCE.

(no swap)