Where do some people get the idea that just because you can switch between apps that are currently displayed on the dashboard, you're multitasking, or tat you've got more than 1 app open at the same time.

To be multitasking those apps need to be working on projects simultaneously. A prime example of multitasking was the Commodore Amiga way back in the 80s. I used to do a lot of 3D work where I would be working on 3D objects in Imagine while the 3D world was rendering in the background in Vista Pro.
Just having more than one app open is in no way multitasking.