Subject: Re: newlock
To: Jason Thorpe <thorpej@shagadelic.org>
From: Garrett D'Amore <garrett_damore@tadpole.com>
List: tech-kern
Date: 09/03/2006 17:24:11
Jason Thorpe wrote:
>
> On Sep 3, 2006, at 3:13 AM, Hans Petter Selasky wrote:
>
>> 1) Try to avoid using function/structure names already defined by by the
>> FreeBSD mutex implementation, "man mutex", so that one can put an
>> emulation
>> layer on top that emulates FreeBSD mutexes on NetBSD.
>
> The goal is for the NetBSD API to be like the Solaris API.  That was
> my intent when I originally wrote this code.

The Solaris API works really, really well.

I wish instead of "simple_locks", and "splx" and such we just had
mutexes and spl() was handled under the covers.
>
>> 2) Mutexes must allow recursation.
>
> Absolutely NOT.  Recursive mutexes are just plain evil.  The goal is
> to have a BETTER locking API, not have the same warts as the crappy
> one that we currently have.

Recursive mutexes have their uses, but mostly they wind up being a
crutch for poor design, I think.  I agree with Jason here.

>
>> 3) Nice if there are some functions that can drop/pickup the recursation
>> count.
>
> Not applicable.
>
>> 4) You need to implement mutex_sleep(), like there is "ltsleep" for
>> simplelocks. Try to avoid the function name "msleep()".
>
> What's wrong with msleep() as a name?

I'd rather have actual condition variables than "msleep" and such.  
Condition variables are really, really useful for a variety of
purposes.  But I'm probably corrupted by having so many pleasant
experiences developing for Solaris. :-)

    -- Garrett


-- 
Garrett D'Amore, Principal Software Engineer
Tadpole Computer / Computing Technologies Division,
General Dynamics C4 Systems
http://www.tadpolecomputer.com/
Phone: 951 325-2134  Fax: 951 325-2191