linux-kernel - Re: Prototype patch for Linux-kernel memory model

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Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44L0.1711131501180.1410-100000@iolanthe.rowland.org>
Date:   Mon, 13 Nov 2017 15:09:11 -0500 (EST)
From:   Alan Stern <stern@...land.harvard.edu>
To:     "Paul E. McKenney" <paulmck@...ux.vnet.ibm.com>
cc:     Andrea Parri <parri.andrea@...il.com>,
        Will Deacon <will.deacon@....com>, <peterz@...radead.org>,
        <boqun.feng@...il.com>, <npiggin@...il.com>, <dhowells@...hat.com>,
        Jade Alglave <j.alglave@....ac.uk>,
        Luc Maranget <luc.maranget@...ia.fr>,
        Kernel development list <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        <elena.reshetova@...el.com>
Subject: Re: Prototype patch for Linux-kernel memory model

On Mon, 13 Nov 2017, Paul E. McKenney wrote:

> Hello!
> 
> Please see below for the git commit corresponding to a prototype
> patch for the Linux-kernel memory model.  This addresses the feedback
> we got at Linux Plumbers Conference:
> 
> 1.	There is a Documentation/recipes.txt file giving known-good
> 	useful examples, along with corresponding litmus tests.
> 
> 2.	There is a Documentation/explanation.txt file giving an
> 	overview of the memory model and its workings.
> 
> 3.	There is a Documentation/references.txt file giving some
> 	background reading.
> 
> I believe that we have something that will be extremely useful and
> valuable to novices and experts alike.
> 
> Please note that this version of the memory model does not yet reflect
> the changes that make DEC Alpha no longer be a special case because
> those changes have not yet hit mainline.  The model will be updated
> once this happens.
> 
> Thoughts?

In references.txt, should we add URLs to non-paywalled PDFs?  Or should
we assume that our readers are capable of using Google to find these 
things on their own?

There are a few places where some comments should be resolved/removed
before submission:

	Documentation/references.txt line 98:
	Uncategorized stuff (any of this really needed?)

	litmus-tests/README line 92:
	[ Shouldn't we have one with smp_wmb() in the process with both
	  writes, and smp_mb() in the other process. ]

In the files defining the memory model, we should replace the GPL
boilerplate with SPDX headers.

Alan