MagiC v4

MagiC v4

Kev "Copperfield" Beardsworth takes a look at MagiC v4 - the current UK release version...

Every other mainstream platform offers multitasking as standard and you could be forgiven for wondering if our mid-eighties designed machines are up to the task - the good news is they are but the implications of MagiC go way beyond offering multitasking, read on!

I first saw MagiC in action at an Atari show in Manchester over two years ago. It was running on a TT and I desperately wanted a copy for my Falcon. I couldn't believe it was incompatible with the Falcon and after a two year wait during which time MagiC appeared for the Mac platform and a PC version was rumoured to be under development I began to believe Falcon owners had been left in the wilderness. Happily I was wrong and MagiC v4 finally appeared, was it worth the wait?

The main MagXDesk Install Application dialog

MagiC is a complete replacement for TOS. It's doesn't come on ROM chips like TOS instead there's two double density floppies and an A5 sized 48 page manual. Uhuh, just 48 pages to describe an OS - and most of that relates to using MAGX Desk which seems a waste. Happily it's reasonably well written - the usual couple of sentences betray its German origins but it does tell the average user everything necessary to get up and running. I guess since developers will have to look elsewhere for details.

Just some of the 100 MagXDesk icons

Installation is a stress free affair and only takes a few minutes. Double click on the install program, fill in the registration dialog and that's about it. The most difficult part of the whole procedure comes down to re-ordering the Auto folder. The MagiC install program doesn't do this automatically and MAGXBOOT.PRG needs to run first. It's easy enough to move manually or using a boot manager and after a reboot MAGXBOOT reboots the machine a second time, presumably to replace TOS then the boot process proceeds as normal.

After the usual delay the MAGX desktop appears. The only clue MagiC is running being the small curved double arrow MagiC logo in the top right hand corner of the menu bar. After a while boredom set in until in true Jekyll and Hyde fashion I launched every program I could find until I ran out of memory - that's more like it, after waiting two years I needed to do that!

Assign files for each application here

Confession

I couldn't wait two years for multitasking and have been using Geneva for ages. I only mention this now because Geneva registers each application in the Desk menu under the desktop accessories. I had to refer to the manual to discover a left click over an empty area in the menu bar displays a popup containing all the currently running programs along with some useful functions. Tidy up, redraws the screen - which comes in handy when a program gets confused and leaves garbage over the desktop. Start program, calls the MagiC file selector to launch new programs. A Hide function helps cope with cluttered desktops by hiding programs running in the background - in contrast to a similar function in Geneva hidden software under MagiC keeps on working, the windows are moved off-screen outside the visible area, a neat trick! To bring programs back into view there's an Unhide function and using these two functions together applications can be hidden or revealed individually or en masse as desired. Finally a free memory indicator plummets towards zero at an alarming rate!

The MagiC 4 program popup

Apart from using the popup it's possible to switch between programs using a keyboard shortcut. A tiny dialog appears centre screen and cycles through each program name -release the key when the desired application is displayed and it's topped.

Compared to TOS MagiC has a lot to offer. Pre-emptive multitasking (See boxout) with up to 64 open windows, ten applications and six desktop accessories (or 16 programs without desktop accessories) running concurrently - so longs as there's enough memory. The six accessory limit seems a bit strange but in a multitasking environment most desktop accessories become redundant. In any event most desktop accessories can be loaded and terminated on the fly so there's no real problem. Output from TOS and TTP programs into a VT52 terminal window which is at least a step up from the white screen under TOS. MagiC is written in assembler and optimised for speed. TOS was written in some leisurely C code - the result is MagiC runs faster than TOS (see benchmark results). Enhanced dialog features including cut and paste, flying dialogs, windowed dialogs, program iconify and popup menus are all built-in so that's another handful of utilities made redundant! Programs can be forced to run in single tasking mode which usually persuades dinosaur programs to run but for some reason, desktop accessories are greyed out.

So what's new?

Most of the above features were in earlier versions of MagiC so what's in this version for users of earlier MagiC versions? The biggest change is the aforementioned Falcon compatibility, but there's more. MagiC 4 has a sporty 3D look and supports coloured icons. The 3D look isn't as crude as TOS 4.0 and although it takes a while to adjust I prefer it.

You can install four programs to use with MagXDesk here

Floppy disks can be copied or formatted in the background, so long as you use HD Driver v4.5 or later. Alternative file systems can be loaded, which holds out the prospect of long filename support in the near future. Files can have aliases, which means large files can be stored in one location and accessed from several other places which sounds useful, although I haven't figured out a sensible use for it yet. There's also an adequate font selector, a brain dead file selector and a revamped MAGX Desk.

The desktop

Another CPX allows you to change various attributes - handy for customising your MagiC set up

MagXDesk supports all of MagiC's new features along with a few tricks of its own. Tiled backgrounds are supported and some nice samples are included along with 100 colour icons. Kobold can be used for file operations and non-modal (non-blocking) disk copy, file copy and search routines have been incorporated. Desktop windows feature an auto locator - enter characters on the keyboard to select files. MagXDesk can assign an external file viewer, text editor, batch file CLI and a print utility which saves memory and provides flexibility. Up to ten items can be inserted in the Objects menu which is the ideal place to stash small utilities which don't deserve a desktop icon. MagiC symbolic links are supported and resolutions can be changed on the fly.
I did encounter a problem in the Install application dialog which threw up a buttonless alert after I tried to install the same filetype twice for two different programs. This locked up the system requiring a reboot - nasty!
Although MagXDesk doesn't offer the sophisticated features available in other desktops it's ultra compact, well thought out and recommended for anyone who regularly runs short of memory. MagXDesk can be replaced with any of the multitasking desktops including Thing, Ease and Gemini. Installing another desktop is straightforward and involves editing one line in the INF file - but it isn't point and click.

The MagXDesk preferences dialog

One new feature brought a smile to my lips. Since the arrival of Windows 95 I've taken great pleasure in winding up my PC using friends as they wait for permission to turn off their machines. Imagine the shock on my face the first time I noticed the Quit option in Thing had been replaced with Shutdown! Yes, Atari users now need permission to shutdown as well. It is a sensible precaution because it makes sure all programs are terminated and all files closed - which should help avoid losing hours of work or risking file corruption. For some odd reason the Shutdown function in MAGX Desk is the Options menu - go figure...

The MagXDesk menus. What is Shutdown doing in options?

MagiC is an exceptional product which turns any Atari (or Mac, or PC) into a new computer. The whole system feels more responsive and there's a general feeling of stability. If a program crashes you are usually informed by a friendly dialog and it's the attention to detail which delights. Almost all the programs I use regularly worked without problems. A couple had difficulties finding their files but this was easy to correct by setting some environment strings in the INF file. In summary, I won't be returning to TOS.

MagXDesk search, can search for files without blocking other applications

Pre-emptive multitasking

Multitasking is an ability to carry out more than one task at a time. There are two main types of multitasking and MagiC can provide them both. The most powerful is pre-emptive, the other is co-operative. Most home computers have one CPU. How then is it possible to run many programs at once? It isn't, multitasking in an illusion. The CPU carries out a few instructions from each program in turn. It does this so quickly it appears several programs are running at the same time. Co-operative multitasking means background applications only get processor time when the topped application makes a system call or is standing idle. Pre-emptive multitasking forces the topped application to give time to background tasks - in other words processor time is shared between all running programs. This is achieved by "time slicing".

This CPX allows you to fine tune the time slice and enables switching between pre-emptive and co-operative multitasking

Alternatives

We're not short of choice when it comes to multitasking operating systems for the Atari platform. Apart from MagiC there's MultiTOS, Geneva, N.AES, SMS2 and Omen.
In the UK MagiC's main competition comes from Geneva. MultiTOS is generally considered too slow on a standard ST or Falcon, N.AES isn't available and SMS2 and Omen can't run TOS or GEM software.
Geneva will even run on a 520ST from floppy disks. Geneva offers co-operative multitasking or pre-emptive multitasking when used in conjunction with MiNT. Geneva features a 3D interface, custom file selector and low memory overhead. No desktop is included and although you can be away without one, most people opt for NeoDesk 4 because it's from the same programming team.

Gembench copyright Ofir Gal 3 March 95

Gembench results

.

Standard Falcon. No NVDI, No FX, No MagiC

Standard Falcon running MagiC 4

Falcon 030 TOS 4.01 Falcon 030 MagiC 4
AES v3.31
AES v3.99
GEMDOS v0.48
GEMDOS v0.25
MiNT not present MiNT not present
Blitter Enabled Blitter Disabled
NVDI not present NVDI not present
Video Mode: 640*480*16 Video Mode: 640*480*16
LineF FPU installed FPU cookie value=$60000
Run and Malloc from ST RAM Run and Malloc from STRAM
Ref: F030 + FPU, 640*480*16 Ref: F030 + FPU, 640*480*16
GEM Dialog Box: 5.525 83% GEM Dialog Box: 3.935 117%
VDI Text: 5.665 84% VDI Text: 2.465 194%
VDI Text Effects: 14.575 70% VDI Text Effects: 5.345 191%
VDI Small Text: 5.585 82% VDI Small Text: 1.645 279%
VDI Graphics: 21.760 52%
VDI Graphics: 7.795 147%
GEM Window: 2.575 85% GEM Window: 6.235 35%
Integer Division: 3.560 87% Integer Division: 3.195 97%
Float Math: 0.390 94%
Float Math: 0.385 96%
RAM Access: 4.010 63% RAM Access: 3.380 75%
ROM Access: 4.155 51% ROM Access: 3.385 63%
Blitting: 4.015 91% Blitting: 20.625 17%
VDI Scroll: 7.330 92% VDI Scroll: 10.835 62%
Justified Text: 6.260 86% Justified Text: 6.385 84%
VDI Enquire: 2.160 81% VDI Enquire: 1.230 142%
New Dialogs: 7.615 76% New Dialogs: 6.945 84%
Graphics: 80% Graphics: 122%
CPU: 73% CPU: 82%

Average:

78%

Average:

112%

As you can see a marked improvement. Add NVDI to the equation and
you'll have quite a snappy system.

Publisher: System Solutions
Contact: 0181 693 3355
Price: œ69.95
Requirements: Any ST with 2Mb memory or more, TT or Falcon with TOS in ROM
Pros: MagiC multitasks, it's fast and it's most excellent dude

Cons: A 48 page manual isn't enough!

Score: 90%

Preview of MagiC v5


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