On Thu 21 Mar 2002 at 11:46:27 -0500, Andrew Brown wrote:
> >I thought one purpose of the newlock branch was (among other things)
> >about improving the API to our locking primitives.  At least for folks
> >who don't speak dutch, semaphores typically have a *HORRID* API.
> >Which operation is "p" and which one is "v" again?
> 
> hmm...i don't remember either.
> 
> 	% dict semaphore
> 	...
> 	     P and V stand for Dutch "Proberen", to test, and "Verhogen",
> 	     to increment.  The value of a semaphore is the number of units
> 	...

Really? They tought me it was "Passeren" and "Vrijgeven" (pass and
release). That seems to make more sense anyway, given the traditional
depiction with the 8-shaped railroad tracks.

-Olaf.
-- 
___ Olaf 'Rhialto' Seibert - rhialto@polder    -- Ah only did well at school
\X/ land.nl       -- tae git intae an O level class tae git away fae Begbie.