Re: [boost] RFC: Multithreading design constraints

From: John Maddock (John_Maddock_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-06-06 07:03:17

Beman,

>There is already an ISO standard that covers multithreading (ISO/IEC
9945:1-1996 POSIX).  We ought to explore the possibility of basing
our work at least partially on that standard.  (Background: ISO is
unlikely to approve any new C++ standard for multithreading that
totally ignores another ISO standard for multithreading, particularly
one that includes a C language API.) 

I'm not suggesting we include the POSIX pthreads C API, but rather
use their definitions where applicable.
<

Agreed, I tried to concentrate on design issues and constraints imposed by
the language: I deliberately left the implementation, and the semantics of
specific locks out (you may have noticed ;->  ), I think that these should
be defined in terms of other standards where appropriate IMO.  BTW as well
as the GNU win-pthreads, ACE also demonstrates the degree of portability
between pthreads and Win32, as well as covering other threading models
(Solaris) that don't quite fall into the POSIX camp.

- John.