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

From: Lois Goldthwaite (loisg_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-08-05 20:37:25

Quote from Practical Unix Programming by Robbins and Robbins:

"In 1965, E. W. Dijkstra proposed the semaphore abstraction for high-level
management of mutual exclusion and synchronization. A semaphore is an integer
variable with two atomic operations: 'wait' and 'signal.' Other names for
'wait' are 'down,' 'P,' and 'lock.' Other names for 'signal' are 'up,' 'V,'
'unlock,' and 'post.' "

It's my understanding that 'P' and 'V' stand for some words in Dutch, but I
don't know what they are.

Lois

Valentin Bonnard wrote:

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