Date: Sun, 17 Aug 1997 21:38:35 -0400 (EDT) From: Tim Vanderhoek <hoek@hwcn.org> To: Charles Ebert <kd5ob@theshop.net> Cc: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: The low priority items Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.96.970817212229.15871A-100000@james.freenet.hamilton.on.ca> In-Reply-To: <33F78D7E.2610@theshop.net>
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On Sun, 17 Aug 1997, Charles Ebert wrote: > I'm a little slow. Did I read correctly that Threaded processes are > not supported? And the next line down from that mentioned something > of the same, however, can I assume it is to deal with multiprocessor > CPU boards as well? man 3 pthread Current thread support isn't optimal, and there are multiple threading packages to choose from (threads aren't implemented at the kernel level), but it's there, and it's used. :) > I was always told of UNIX's unique ability to run multiple processor > systems. I never imagined that this system would have a problem with > threading. I was hoping that the multiple processor issue would > have a higher priority than it does. Theading really isn't an incredible technological advantage. The unique ability of UNIX that you're probably thinking of is to run "multiple processes", not "multiple processors". Multiple processes is, of course, no longer unique to UNIX (never was, actually), but it is one of the things that set UNIX away from DOS. Windows programmers often see threads as an absolute necessity because of the Windows history. UNIX programmers use and generally prefer fork(), but it's recognized that threads have their purpose (which is why they're supported :). fork(2) manpage should contain a .xref to rfork(2), in case you decide to check any manpages... :) > I'm a commercial windows programmer. I also work on OS2. > Seems like this environment is similar to OS2 in the aspect that > OS2 for the most part relys on one processor. Yet OS2 has support > for threading 5,000 some odd tasks and do it with 255 seperate > sessions. FreeBSD can do the same thing on one processor without using threads. :) > >From what I've read this Free BSD seems to support multiple sessions. > Yet I also read something about DLL's being supported, but I guess > you can't thread anything. Shared libraries (ie. dynamically linked) are supported and (usually) used, yes. By multiple sessions, you mean being logged-into the system more than once? I'm sometimes simultaneously logged into my machine 15 times. Plus the occasional non-FreeBSD user connected from the 'net so I can demonstrate fortune(1) (or whatever) for them. :) > Perhaps I will get into this next year as I plan on building another > machine. You have caught my eye with all this. That's good. :) -- Outnumbered? Maybe. Outspoken? Never! tIM...HOEk
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