Threads

[Dar Scott]

On Oct 12, 2006, at 5:25 PM, Viktoras Didziulis wrote:

> Threads can be produced by cloning
> an invisible substack (named "thread") with
> a handler and renaming the clones to thread_1, thread_2, etc...

This stack is a good mockup of what a simple threading capability  
would look like like.

It also points out that much of what we would want in threading can  
be done with 'send'.  I have an old, but applicable primer on  
"message mechanics", that is, building message machines here:

    http://www.swcp.com/dsc/revstacks.html

Should anybody be interested, that is.  Using 'message mechanics'  
does require a different way of looking at a problem, perhaps making  
a state machine.  And it is not a full substitute for threads.

I have in my box of projects a new 'send' that has some issues fixed  
and is broader in what can be sent to what.  I was thinking of  
expanding that so messages can be sent to "threads".  I was thinking  
of making "threads" out of command-line Revolution, much as the cgi  
folks do.  I have tinkered with command-line Rev on OS X and I think  
this approach may have promise.

Of course, resources would not be as intimately shared as in some  
threading models.  But to be able to say, go off and do this FFT,  
would be nice.

Of course, the mad scientist is flighty in these projects so don't  
count on anything.

Dar