Subject: Cygwin Python -- Thread or not to thread...
From: Jason Tishler <[email-masked]>
To: Cygwin <[email-masked]>
Cc: Python-List <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 11:23:12 -0400

..that is the question.

Last week, I was about to release my next Cygwin Python distribution with
threading enabled for the first time.  Although there is one known Cygwin
pthreads race condition that can cause a hang, this issue was not tickled
(so far) whenever I ran the regression for Python CVS.  Unfortunately (or
fortunately depending on your perspective), while running the regression
test on Cygwin Python 2.1.1, test_threadedtempfile hung due to the above
mentioned problem.

So I am asking the Cygwin Python community the following:

    Should I still release my next Cygwin Python distribution with
    threading enabled?  Or, should I continue to disabled threading
    until the above known Cygwin pthreads issue is resolved?

There are advantages and disadvantages to either choice.  By releasing a
threaded Cygwin Python, more people will be able to exercise Cygwin's
pthreads support which will help test the implementation.  This is
especially important on 9x/Me since I don't access to these platforms
and hence, have never personally tested Cygwin Python on them.  The
downside is siccing a (buggy) threaded Cygwin Python on the general
public may result in significant heartache.

The more conservative approach is to continue to release Cygwin Python
with threading disabled until the known Cygwin pthreads issue is resolved.
Unfortunately, it maybe sometime before the race condition is prevented
(i.e., the fix is non-trivial):

    http://www.cygwin.com/ml/cygwin-developers/2001-09/msg00438.html

So Cygwin Python users that need threading may have to continue to be
patience for an undetermined amount of time.

Please post your opinions instead of sending private email, so others
can see how a consensus (if any) was determined.

Thanks,
Jason

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