Subj : Re: STL Containers w/ Virtually Zero-Overhead Lock-Free Reads...
To   : (Usenet)
From : David Abrahams
Date : Sat Sep 24 2005 05:17 pm

Torsten Robitzki <MyFirstname@Robitzki.de> writes:

> Chris Thomasson wrote:
>
>>>are you claiming that it is possible to write a portable,
>>>"zero-overhead", lock-free version of all the STL containers ?
>> 
>> 
>> Yes. There is only one issue...
>
> I wonder how a sequence like
>
> your::vector<int> v(/* filled some how */);
>
> if ( !v.empty() )
> {
>    v.first();
> }
>
> could be implemented without a lock, and without a lock external to the 
> container.
>
> Lock-Free or Not Lock Free, I think that STL-Containers have a interface 
> that is quit useless for beeing used in a threaded eviroment.

That's quite a bit too strong.

The STL Container interface makes them useless **as shared data
structures** in a threaded environment **unless you use external
locks**.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com

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