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From: markspace <-@.>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.java.programmer
Subject: Re: reading the JLS (17.4.5)
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 06:57:58 -0800
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On 12/18/2011 4:10 AM, Andreas Leitgeb wrote:
> How could a "read" that happens-before a particular "write" *ever*
> see the "write"'s value?


I think you have read it correctly.  To elaborate:


 > " A set of actions A is happens-before consistent if for all
 > " reads r in A, it is not the case that either hb(r, W(r)),


Note that it says "it is NOT the case that ... hb(r, W(r))".  The write 
DOES have to happen before the read, or you won't see it.  That's what 
they're saying.