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Linux book chapter: 'Multitasking in Ubuntu'
Jun. 01, 2007

Another chapter of a new how-to book, Hacking Ubuntu: Serious Hacks, Mods and Customizations, has been published online at ExtremeTech.com. The chapter, entitled "Multitasking in Ubuntu," explains how to switch applications, tweak the workplace switcher, customize applications, use buffers, and track projects.

"Twenty years ago, computers did one thing at a time. You either used a word processor or used a spreadsheet or printed a document—but not all at once.Today, people rarely use computers for just one thing," writes author Neal Krawetz.

"While using a spreadsheet, you may be modifying a document in a word processor, watching the stock market, reading news, and checking the weather—all at the same time! In my experience, the only times a computer does one dedicated task today is when (a) it is an embedded system, (b) it is devoted to a game that consumes all resources, (c) it is solving some computationally complex formula (for example, cracking passwords, modeling, or data mining) and needs all of the system's computing power, or (d) it's a really old computer.

"Multitasking does not just mean running two programs at once. The definition encompasses your ability to switch between programs, communicate between applications, and find running programs. In the corporate world, it also means accountability: you need to be able to say how much time was spent on each project. Fortunately, Ubuntu has many options for addressing these needs," Krawetz writes.

The article includes screen shots. To read Krawetz's chapter, go here.

To order the book, which ranges from $17 to $24 at various online vendors, go here.

For other interesting desktop-oriented Linux books, see our desktop Linux book list:

The Desktop Linux Book Roundup




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