[boost] What's a Mutex ? (Was: Re: Threads)

From: Valentin Bonnard (Bonnard.V_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-08-04 19:17:43

scleary_at_[hidden] wrote:
> 
> > As for those wanting to start with vast definitions...
> >
> > I'm not sure why we need to do this.  Most definitions are well known
> > to anyone who's done concurrent programming.  Unless we're striving
> > to come up with new jargon there's nothing to define.
> 
> Everyone knows what a "mutex" is.  

I don't. Could anyone give a useful defintion or, rather, stop 
using this term ?

Doing a quick search, I have found many classes called mutex:

- the Java class jsync.Mutex: an exclusive lock, only one thread 
  can enter the critical section

- a C++ class Mutex: something with P and V

- a GNU C++ class Mutex with enter and leave (similar to the Java 
  class above)

- nl.hen.ict.concurrency.Mutex: lock/unlock interface, similar 
  to jsync.Mutex

- Thread.H Mutex: same interface again

There are many others Java classes called Mutex. To me this shows 
that the Java interface for thread synchronisation isn't 
sufficient.

Most Mutex seem to be about lock (aka enter)/unlock (aka leave), 
but some are about P/V.

-- 
Valentin Bonnard