linux-kernel - Re: [patch 00/13] Syslets, "Threadlets", generic AIO support, v3

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Date:	Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:15:31 +0300
From:	Al Boldi <a1426z@...ab.com>
To:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [patch 00/13] Syslets, "Threadlets", generic AIO support, v3

Theodore Tso wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 27, 2007 at 01:28:32PM +0300, Evgeniy Polyakov wrote:
> > Obviously there are bugs, it is simply how things work.
> > And debugging state machine code has exactly the same complexity as
> > debugging multi-threading code - if not less...
>
> Evgeniy,
>
> I think what you are not hearing, and what everyone else is saying
> (INCLUDING Linus),

Excluding possibly many others.

> is that for most programmers, state machines are
> much, much harder to program, understand, and debug compared to
> multi-threaded code.

That's why you introduce an infrastructure that hides all the nitty-gritty 
plumbing, and makes it easy to use.

> You may disagree (were you a MacOS 9 programmer
> in another life?), and it may not even be true for you if you happen
> to be one of those folks more at home with Scheme continuations, for
> example.

Personal attacks are really rather unhelpful/unscientific.

> But it is true that for most kernel programmers, threaded
> programming is much easier to understand, and we need to engineer the
> kernel for what will be maintainable for the majority of the kernel
> development community.

What's probably true is that, for a kernel to stay competitive you need two 
distinct traits:

1. Stability
2. Performance

And you can't get that, by arguing that the kernel development community 
doesn't have the brains to code for performance, which I dearly doubt.

So, instead of using intimidating language to force one's opinion thru, 
especially when it comes from those in control, why not have a democratic 
vote?


Thanks!

--
Al

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