From owner-freebsd-arch  Wed May 17 11:16: 2 2000
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From: Terry Lambert <tlambert@primenet.com>
Message-Id: <200005171815.LAA07310@usr05.primenet.com>
Subject: Re: A new api for asynchronous task execution
To: msmith@FreeBSD.ORG (Mike Smith)
Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 18:15:38 +0000 (GMT)
Cc: tlambert@primenet.com (Terry Lambert),
	dfr@nlsystems.com (Doug Rabson), msmith@FreeBSD.ORG (Mike Smith),
	n_hibma@calcaphon.com (Nick Hibma), arch@FreeBSD.ORG
In-Reply-To: <200005171758.KAA07014@mass.cdrom.com> from "Mike Smith" at May 17, 2000 10:58:42 AM
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> > > I do hope to be able to replace at least some of these pieces. I like the
> > > idea of a priority sorted list of tasks, probably using a priority field
> > > in struct task.
> > 
> > Bletch.
> > 
> > This is a job best handled by managing insertion order, rather than
> > by way of an explicit sort.  Insertion order also keeps the structure
> > both small and generic.
> 
> You specifically can't "manage insertion order", which is why the queues 
> need to be sorted.  Go look at the current problem set before making 
> sweeping assertions like this.

The "current problem set" or the "current implementation"?

I know the current implementation can't handle it.

I can probably give you references from as far back as the 1970's on
why it's possible in the context of the current problem set.

The DDJ article on skiplists in ~1993 (source code available from
UUNET today) shows partially ordered insertion being applied to the
current problem set.


					Terry Lambert
					terry@lambert.org
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.


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