From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 To: 9fans@9fans.net Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 09:15:30 +0000 From: comeau@panix.com (Greg Comeau) Message-ID: References: <3e1162e60909030844r8760a8fu1b27d6e60965ecfb@mail.gmail.com>, <1251993672.16936.4779.camel@work.SFBay.Sun.COM> Subject: Re: [9fans] "Blocks" in C Topicbox-Message-UUID: 63f3b25e-ead5-11e9-9d60-3106f5b1d025 In article <1251993672.16936.4779.camel@work.SFBay.Sun.COM>, Roman V Shaposhnik wrote: >On Thu, 2009-09-03 at 08:44 -0700, David Leimbach wrote: > >> The blocks aren't interesting at all by themselves, I totally agree >> with that. However what they do to let you write a function inline, >> that can be pushed to another function, to be executed on a concurrent >> FIFO, is where the real power comes out. >> >> >> I'm not 100% sure why the heck they did it this way, which is totally >> different from any other version of concurrent programming setup I've >> seen, except maybe that Apple likes to "think different"? > >It seems that quite a few concurrency frameworks worth the paper their >APIs are written on, are converging on this model. The ultimate goal >has to do with encapsulation of the computation into idempotent units >and describing the topology between those units. That separates the >executor from the semantics of computations nicely and has all sorts of >bonuses as far as bridging the gap between SMP and distributes systems >are concerned. > >I think the semantics of what needs to be done is well understood. The >million dollar question is how to best express such a semantics in what >still looks like a programming language. > >What Apple has done is one way of attacking the problem. Where I sit we >explore CPS for doing very similar sort of thing. One point is clear -- >there no consensus yet. I don't think I follow what you just said, but your conclusion is probably exactly right. -- Greg Comeau / 4.3.10.1 with C++0xisms now in beta! Comeau C/C++ ONLINE ==> http://www.comeaucomputing.com/tryitout World Class Compilers: Breathtaking C++, Amazing C99, Fabulous C90. Comeau C/C++ with Dinkumware's Libraries... Have you tried it?