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Everything about Computer multitasking
Concurrent execution of multiple processes
In computing, multitasking is the concurrent execution of multiple tasks over a certain period of time. New tasks can interrupt already started ones before they finish, instead of waiting for them to end. As a result, a computer executes segments of multiple tasks in an interleaved manner, while the tasks share common processing resources such as central processing units (CPUs) and main memory. Multitasking automatically interrupts the running program, saving its state and loading the saved state of another program and transferring control to it. This "context switch" may be initiated at fixed time intervals, or the running program may be coded to signal to the supervisory software when it can be interrupted. Wikipedia →
🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path
- Read the overview: Computer multitaskingA 5-minute orientation
- Skim a recent paper: Effects of a BikeRacer Computer Training on Multitasking Ability and Road Security in Older Bicycle RidersInfluential work since 2022
- Pick up a classic book: Strategies for concurrent processing of complex algorithms in data driven architecturesThe most-reprinted book on the subject
- Read the landmark paper: Evolutionary Multitasking: A Computer Science View of Cognitive MultitaskingCited 227 times
- Go sideways: Preemption (computing)A closely related topic
- Go sideways: Thread (computing)A closely related topic
📖 Definitions
No dictionary entry for this exact phrase.
🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)
Evolutionary Multitasking: A Computer Science View of Cognitive Multitasking
Media Multitasking Behavior: Concurrent Television and Computer Usage
Measurement and evidence of computer-based task switching and multitasking by ‘Net Generation’ students
Liminality in multitasking: Where talk and task collide in computer collaborations
Task selection, task switching and multitasking during computer-based independent study
Reheating breakfast: Age and multitasking on a computer-based and a non-computer-based task
The application of multitasking mechanism in single chip computer system
A Multitasking Chromatography Computer System
🆕 Influential since 2022
Effects of a BikeRacer Computer Training on Multitasking Ability and Road Security in Older Bicycle Riders
Error-related potentials during multitasking involving sensorimotor control: an ERP and offline decoding study for brain-computer interface
Investigating the Relationship and Predictive Modeling Between Mental Workload and Task Performance in Multitasking Human–Computer Interaction Environments
📚 Books worth reading
- 📕Strategies for concurrent processing of complex algorithms in data driven architecturesJohn W. Stoughton · 1987
Parallel And Concurrent Programming In HaskellSimon Marlow · 2013
Task Scheduling for Parallel SystemsOliver Sinnen · 2006
Modeling Embedded Systems and SoC'sAxel Jantsch · 2003
Reactive Messaging Patterns with the Actor ModelVaughn Vernon · 2015
Power computingWinn L. Rosch · 1988- 📕CONCUR 2004--concurrency theoryInternational Conference on Concurrency Theory (15th 2004 London, England) · 2004
Formal Methods for ConcurrencyClive Fencott · 1995
Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.
🔗 Related topics
- Preemption (computing) In computing, preemption is the act performed by an external scheduler — without assistance or cooperation from the task — of temporarily interrupting…
- Thread (computing) In computer science, a thread of execution is the smallest sequence of programmed instructions that can be managed independently by a scheduler, which…
- Process (computing) In computing, a process is the instance of a computer program that is being executed by one or many threads. There are many different process models, some…
- Scheduling (computing) In computing, scheduling is the action of assigning resources to perform tasks. The resources may be processors, network links or expansion cards. The…
- Real-time operating system A real-time operating system (RTOS) is an operating system (OS) for real-time computing applications that processes data and events that have critically…
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- Cooperative multitasking Cooperative multitasking, also known as non-preemptive multitasking, is a computer multitasking technique in which the operating system never initiates…
- Fiber (computer science) In computer science, a fiber is a particularly lightweight thread of execution. Like threads, fibers share address space. However, fibers use cooperative…