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Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro

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On 27/07/18 17:51, StateMachineCOM wrote:
> Traditional threads, whichever way you package them (as C++ threads,
> p-threads or any other thread library), typically correspond to the
> "shared-state concurrency and blocking" approach. This approach is
> known to be problematic, and many experts in concurrent programming
> recommend to drastically limit both sharing and blocking according to
> the following three best practices:
> 
> 1. Keep data isolated and bound to threads. Threads should hide
> (encapsulate) their private data and other resources, and not share
> them with the rest of the system.

Encapsulation is always a good principle, but don't take it too far.  If
two parts of the system need to share data of significant size, then you
want shared data, not "messages" or other synchronisation mechanisms.
(You use the messages or other synchronisation to communicate metadata -
such as who owns the real data space at any given time - but not the
data itself.)

> 
> 2. Communicate among threads asynchronously via messages (event
> objects). Using asynchronous events keeps the threads running truly
> independently, without any further blocking on each other.
> 

Blocking is fine with threads.  If you have a single core cpu - or more
threads than cores - then blocking is often more efficient than
attempting to continue.  After all, if thread A is asking thread B to do
something (via a message, actor call, or whatever) then thread B can't
get started in doing the work A wants until A has taken a break.  It's
cheaper to have a voluntary break (yield, or blocking call) than to wait
for a scheduling change.

So use blocking calls whenever they fit naturally in the progression of
the code - and non-blocking calls whenever /that/ is the more natural
fit.  Don't make the mistake of thinking that one is inherently "better"
or necessarily more efficient - /measure/ the /real/ effects if
efficiency is vital.

> 3. Threads should spend their lifetime responding to incoming events,
> so their mainline should consist of an event-loop that handles events
> one at a time (to completion), thus avoiding any concurrency hazards
> within a thread itself.
> 
> The set of these best practices are collectively known as the Active
> Object design pattern (a.k.a. Actor). While this pattern can be
> applied manually on top of a traditional threads, a better way is to
> use an Active Object framework.

Actor designs can certainly have their advantages - equally certainly,
they are not the best design for all uses.  Whenever someone says "this
is the best way to do it", it's unlikely to be that simple - and
whenever they say so without knowing exact details of the problem at
hand, they are almost certainly wrong.

> 
> The main difference is that when you use "naked" threads, you write
> the main body of the application (such as the thread routines for all
> your tasks) and you call various thread-library services (e.g., a
> semaphore or a time delay). When you use a framework, you reuse the
> overall architecture and write the code that it calls. This leads to
> inversion of control, which allows the framework to automatically
> enforce the best practices of concurrent programming. In contrast, a
> "naked" threads let you do anything and offer no help or automation
> for the best practices.
> 

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C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro "gp.kiwi@gmail.com" <graeme.prentice@gmail.com> - 2018-07-20 04:01 -0700
  Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-07-20 20:19 +0200
    Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro graeme.prentice@gmail.com - 2018-07-20 15:54 -0700
      Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2018-07-20 18:27 -0700
        Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro graeme.prentice@gmail.com - 2018-07-20 23:58 -0700
          Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-07-21 14:32 +0200
            Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro mac <acolvin@efunct.com> - 2018-07-26 19:37 +0000
          Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tauno Voipio <tauno.voipio@notused.fi.invalid> - 2018-07-21 21:48 +0300
          Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Rob Gaddi <rgaddi@highlandtechnology.invalid> - 2018-07-23 09:58 -0700
  Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> - 2018-07-22 13:15 -0500
  Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro StateMachineCOM <statemachineguru@gmail.com> - 2018-07-27 08:51 -0700
    Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro "gp.kiwi@gmail.com" <graeme.prentice@gmail.com> - 2018-07-27 14:53 -0700
      Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2018-07-27 15:23 -0700
      Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro StateMachineCOM <statemachineguru@gmail.com> - 2018-07-30 09:08 -0700
      Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-07-31 09:21 +0200
    Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-07-31 09:13 +0200
      Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro StateMachineCOM <statemachineguru@gmail.com> - 2018-07-31 15:16 -0700
        Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-01 07:53 +0200
        Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro pozz <pozzugno@gmail.com> - 2018-08-01 15:49 +0200
        Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro upsidedown@downunder.com - 2018-08-01 21:47 +0300
          Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro StateMachineCOM <statemachineguru@gmail.com> - 2018-08-01 12:11 -0700
            Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-01 20:23 +0100
            Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-02 12:24 +0200
              Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro upsidedown@downunder.com - 2018-08-02 16:14 +0300
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-02 16:43 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro StateMachineCOM <statemachineguru@gmail.com> - 2018-08-02 09:12 -0700
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-02 18:13 +0100
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-02 23:05 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro StateMachineCOM <statemachineguru@gmail.com> - 2018-08-02 14:22 -0700
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Niklas Holsti <niklas.holsti@tidorum.invalid> - 2018-08-03 10:14 +0300
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-03 10:22 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-02 23:48 +0100
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro upsidedown@downunder.com - 2018-08-02 19:56 +0300
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-02 18:14 +0100
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-02 23:12 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-02 23:52 +0100
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-03 10:28 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-03 11:21 +0100
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-03 13:51 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro upsidedown@downunder.com - 2018-08-03 09:11 +0300
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2018-08-04 03:00 -0400
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2018-08-02 12:23 -0500
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-02 23:13 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2018-08-04 03:08 -0400
              Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2018-08-02 12:23 -0500
              Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2018-08-02 14:15 -0400
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-02 19:21 +0100
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-08-02 23:18 +0200
                Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2018-08-03 00:02 +0100
          Re: C++ threads versus PThreads for embedded Linux on ARM micro StateMachineCOM <statemachineguru@gmail.com> - 2018-08-01 12:28 -0700

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