To answer this question, we need to understand the performance considerations when using Asynchronous Write Operations (AWO) compared to not using AWO.
Option A) (1) One program using variable-length files and AWO was 88% slower than NOAWO.
AWO is designed to improve performance by allowing write operations to be performed asynchronously, meaning they can be executed concurrently with other operations. However, in this option, it states that a program using AWO was 88% slower than a program without AWO. This means that the use of AWO negatively impacted the program's performance, which contradicts the purpose of AWO. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
Option B) (2) On the average, AWO was equivalent to NOAWO.
This option states that, on average, AWO and NOAWO (not using AWO) have similar performance. This implies that the use of AWO does not significantly impact the program's performance compared to not using AWO. Therefore, this option is plausible.
Option C) (3) One program using variable-length files and AWO was 88% faster than NOAWO.
This option states that a program using AWO was 88% faster than a program without AWO. This suggests that the use of AWO significantly improved the program's performance compared to not using AWO. Therefore, this option is plausible.
Option D) (4) All the above.
Option D states that all the previous options are correct. However, since option A is incorrect, option D cannot be correct.
Based on the explanations above, the correct answer is Option C) (3) One program using variable-length files and AWO was 88% faster than NOAWO. This option correctly states that AWO improved the program's performance compared to not using AWO.