Vertical Computer Systems Inc (fka VCSY)

[doc2016]

prompting gemini ai:
"did they get app state preservation from neoware thin clients?

That is a common confusion! You're thinking of the wrong company.

No, Apple did not get app state preservation from Neoware thin clients. The influence on iOS multitasking came from Palm's webOS, which was a direct competitor to the early iPhone.

Here is the breakdown:

1. Neoware's Role vs. Palm's Role
Company Product & Era Functionality
Neoware / NeoLinux Thin Client OS (1990s–2000s) Server-Based Computing: Its primary goal was to offload application execution from the device to a central server. The client (the thin client) acted as a simple terminal.
Palm / webOS Mobile OS (Launched 2009) Advanced Multitasking: Its primary goal was to manage multiple applications on the mobile device itself while preserving battery life and user experience.
2. The True Influence: Palm webOS
The concepts that later appeared in iOS were largely popularized by Palm webOS (launched on the Palm Pre in 2009), which was lauded for its intuitive multitasking:

The "Cards" Metaphor: webOS introduced the idea of representing each running application as a "card" that could be visually switched between, managed, and discarded with simple finger gestures. This interface inspired the multitasking view later adopted by iOS and Android.


App State Preservation (The Core Concept): In webOS, applications were managed live, and although they could be paused or minimized, the system was designed to instantly return the user to the precise point where they left off.

3. Apple's Implementation (iOS)
Apple's philosophy was stricter but achieved the same user experience:

When Apple later introduced proper multitasking, it adopted a model where the application process is "suspended" (or frozen) when sent to the background.

State Preservation & Restoration (API): iOS uses APIs (like encodeRestorableState in UIKit) that instruct the app to save key user interface elements and data to disk when backgrounded. When the user returns to the app, iOS uses this saved data to return the app to the exact state it was in, maintaining the illusion that the app has been running continuously.


This seamless state preservation and restoration method, combined with the visual App Switcher, ensures the iPhone remains fluid and battery-efficient."