Re: kernel threading/clone() improvements in 2.1?

cjs (cjs@netcom.com)
Tue, 23 Jul 1996 14:06:29 -0700 (PDT)


> > > Are there any official (or unofficial) plans to fix some of the problems
> > > with clone() in 2.1 and/or get it added officially to libc?
> >
> > I would love to see threading in stock libc -- especually now that
> > there are several working kernel thread libraries.
> >
> > The big problemo is that the libc author has elected to make
> > threadsafe functions by putting locks around all the functions. I and
> > most of the people on the Linux-kernel mailing list think this is dead
> > wrong, and would rather see thread-safe functions done as functions
> > taking pointers to storage normally provided for by global varibles --
> > the locking mechanism around malloc() should be enough. I am
> > particular would like to take things one step farther where the normal
> > libc functions are wrappers for the threadsafe ones that work with the
> > traditional global varible.
>
> I took a look at the alpha glibc ( which linux libc will be migrating
> to after a while ), and it seemed that things were being
> done in the sensible fashion ( foo calls foo_r, rather than the other
> way around. ) So, I don't think this is just a big problemo -- it's
> just a matter of time.

Sounds great! Let me shake the hand of the man who write the Alpha
libc.

Christopher