[boost] Re: [shared_ptr] Why aren't atomic integer operations used?

From: Jonathan Turkanis (technews_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-01-03 01:13:59

Don G wrote:
> I was reading the shared_ptr and shared_count classes and noticed
> that a mutex is used when it appears that atomic inc/dec could be
> used instead. Unless I am missing something? The atomic operations
> would be far better in terms of resource usage. It seems (to me
> anyway) far too expensive to have a mutex allocated for every object
> under management.

Here are some recent threads in which this was discussed.

http://lists.boost.org/MailArchives/boost/msg02402.php
http://lists.boost.org/MailArchives/boost/msg76317.php
http://lists.boost.org/MailArchives/boost/msg71834.php

Jonathan