Method and apparatus for enabling control of task execution

A computing system for enabling a user to control the execution of tasks from an application program, the computing system comprising:

• a command system for accepting commands from the application program and outputting commands which instruct the computing system to carry out operations;
• a background manager coupled to the command system for intercepting at least some of the commands from the command system and when so instructed by the user, placing the at least some of the commands in a queue for execution at a subsequent time;
• and
• a processing system coupled to the command system and to the background manager for receiving commands from the command system and from the background manager and in response thereto carrying out operations.

An apparatus for enabling a user of a computer system to control the execution of tasks generated by an application program, the computer system comprising:

• means for establishing a user tolerance level for the application program, the user tolerance level comprising a period of time that the user is willing to wait for the execution of a task;
• means for calculating an estimate of the time the task will require to be completed whenever the user requests the system to perform a task;
• means for performing the task, when the estimate is less than the user tolerance level, then performing the task;
• means allowing the user to assign the task to a background processing operation when the estimate is greater than the user tolerance level then;
• and
• means for returning control of the computer system to the user for selection of another task.

A computer system for enabling a user of a computer system to control execution of a plurality of tasks generated by an application program, the computer system comprising:

• a display;
• means for maintaining a list of tasks awaiting completion of execution by the computer system;
• means for displaying the list of tasks to the user on the display;
• and
• means for having the user prioritize the list of tasks to thereby determine which tasks will be completed first.