in reply to Re: Multi-thread database script (spawn)
in thread Multi-thread database script

As far as I could tell from quick glances, there has been a lot of recent p5p activity by jdhedden and others around threads. Would people in the know care to discuss what kinds of improvement we may expect on the threads front with 5.10, please? This may also be a good opportunity for Parrot developers to update us on the state of Parrot threads and developments since Parrot, threads & fears for the future.. Cheers.
  • Comment on Re^2: Multi-thread database script (spawn)

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Re^3: Multi-thread database script (threads)
by tye (Sage) on Apr 24, 2007 at 14:18 UTC

    The problems with Perl 5 threads are not due to the developers being incompetent nor for lack of effort. Any improvements to the Perl 5 threading model are going to be small improvements because the big problems are fundamental. You can't just take a monolithic system like Perl 5 and throw threads into the design as an after-thought. And Perl 5, unluckily, is an especially good example of a system that strongly resists the addition of good threading.

    At this point, I suspect that you'd often get better performance on Unix Perl if threading was implemented using fork with IPC used for sharing variables (especially if mmap were used). That is how fundamentally unlike threads the current Perl 5 threading model has become after years of trying and failing to make Perl work with a more thread-like model.

    - tye