Section: Laboratory Assignment
...Subsection: File Handling
... ...Subsubsection: Multitasking

Notice that the file manager program was already open, but selecting your painting caused your paint program to open as well. Two programs are open at the same time! This is an example of multitasking. There are some key concepts here you need to be aware of.

• More than one program can be open at a time. (but you figured that out.)

• Only one program at a time is active.

• The active program looks like it is in the front of the screen (nothing overlaps it), and it usually has a darker caption bar than the other programs.

• You can often see programs that are NOT the active program in the background. If you click on one of these programs, it will become active.

Try it now. Make sure your paint program is sizable so you can see the file manager in the background. Click on the file manager. Look what happens! Go back to the paintbrush program if you can by clicking on it. Different operating systems handle multitasking differently, but all have ways of showing you what the open programs are.