Ignore:
Timestamp:
Jun 18, 2019, 9:30:33 AM (5 years ago)
Author:
Peter A. Buhr <pabuhr@…>
Branches:
ADT, arm-eh, ast-experimental, enum, forall-pointer-decay, jacob/cs343-translation, jenkins-sandbox, master, new-ast, new-ast-unique-expr, pthread-emulation, qualifiedEnum
Children:
07ca4dd
Parents:
54b3fde
Message:

fix small wording problems in concurrency paper up to Section 5

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1 edited

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  • doc/papers/concurrency/Paper.tex

    r54b3fde r8220e50  
    311311Libraries like pthreads were developed for C, and the Solaris operating-system switched from user (JDK 1.1~\cite{JDK1.1}) to kernel threads.
    312312As a result, languages like Java, Scala, Objective-C~\cite{obj-c-book}, \CCeleven~\cite{C11}, and C\#~\cite{Csharp} adopt the 1:1 kernel-threading model, with a variety of presentation mechanisms.
    313 From 2000 onwards, languages like Go~\cite{Go}, Erlang~\cite{Erlang}, Haskell~\cite{Haskell}, D~\cite{D}, and \uC~\cite{uC++,uC++book} have championed the M:N user-threading model, and many user-threading libraries have appeared~\cite{Qthreads,MPC,BoostThreads}, including putting green threads back into Java~\cite{Quasar}.
     313From 2000 onwards, languages like Go~\cite{Go}, Erlang~\cite{Erlang}, Haskell~\cite{Haskell}, D~\cite{D}, and \uC~\cite{uC++,uC++book} have championed the M:N user-threading model, and many user-threading libraries have appeared~\cite{Qthreads,MPC,Marcel}, including putting green threads back into Java~\cite{Quasar}.
    314314The main argument for user-level threading is that they are lighter weight than kernel threads (locking and context switching do not cross the kernel boundary), so there is less restriction on programming styles that encourage large numbers of threads performing medium work-units to facilitate load balancing by the runtime~\cite{Verch12}.
    315315As well, user-threading facilitates a simpler concurrency approach using thread objects that leverage sequential patterns versus events with call-backs~\cite{vonBehren03}.
     
    327327
    328328Finally, it is important for a language to provide safety over performance \emph{as the default}, allowing careful reduction of safety for performance when necessary.
    329 Two concurrency violations of this philosophy are \emph{spurious wakeup} and \emph{barging}, i.e., random wakeup~\cite[\S~8]{Buhr05a} and signals-as-hints~\cite[\S~8]{Buhr05a}, where one is a consequence of the other, i.e., once there is spurious wakeup, signals-as-hints follows.
     329Two concurrency violations of this philosophy are \emph{spurious wakeup} (random wakeup~\cite[\S~8]{Buhr05a}) and \emph{barging} (signals-as-hints~\cite[\S~8]{Buhr05a}), where one is a consequence of the other, i.e., once there is spurious wakeup, signals-as-hints follows.
    330330However, spurious wakeup is \emph{not} a foundational concurrency property~\cite[\S~8]{Buhr05a}, it is a performance design choice.
    331331Similarly, signals-as-hints is often a performance decision.
    332332We argue removing spurious wakeup and signals-as-hints makes concurrent programming significantly safer because it removes local non-determinism and matches with programmer expectation.
    333 (Authors experience teaching concurrency is that students are highly confused by these semantics.)
     333(Author experience teaching concurrency is that students are highly confused by these semantics.)
    334334Clawing back performance, when local non-determinism is unimportant, should be an option not the default.
    335335
     
    367367\section{Stateful Function}
    368368
    369 The generator/coroutine provides a stateful function, which is an old idea~\cite{Conway63,Marlin80} that is new again~\cite{C++20Coroutine19}.
    370 A stateful function allows execution to be temporarily suspended and later resumed, e.g., plugin, device driver, finite-state machine.
     369The stateful function is an old idea~\cite{Conway63,Marlin80} that is new again~\cite{C++20Coroutine19}, where execution is temporarily suspended and later resumed, e.g., plugin, device driver, finite-state machine.
    371370Hence, a stateful function may not end when it returns to its caller, allowing it to be restarted with the data and execution location present at the point of suspension.
    372371This capability is accomplished by retaining a data/execution \emph{closure} between invocations.
     
    543542\end{figure}
    544543
    545 For generators, coroutines, and threads, many designs are based on function objects or pointers~\cite{Butenhof97, C++14, MS:VisualC++, BoostCoroutines15}.
     544Stateful functions appear as generators, coroutines, and threads, where presentations are based on function objects or pointers~\cite{Butenhof97, C++14, MS:VisualC++, BoostCoroutines15}.
    546545For example, Python presents generators as a function object:
    547546\begin{python}
     
    587586
    588587Figure~\ref{f:FibonacciAsymmetricGenerator} shows an unbounded asymmetric generator for an infinite sequence of Fibonacci numbers written in C and \CFA, with a simple C implementation for the \CFA version.
    589 This kind of generator is an \emph{output generator}, producing a new result on each resumption.
     588This generator is an \emph{output generator}, producing a new result on each resumption.
    590589To compute Fibonacci, the previous two values in the sequence are retained to generate the next value, \ie @fn1@ and @fn@, plus the execution location where control restarts when the generator is resumed, \ie top or middle.
    591 An additional requirement is the ability to create an arbitrary number of generators (of any kind), \ie retaining state in global variables is insufficient;
     590An additional requirement is the ability to create an arbitrary number of generators (of any kind), \ie retaining one state in global variables is insufficient;
    592591hence, state is retained in a closure between calls.
    593592Figure~\ref{f:CFibonacci} shows the C approach of manually creating the closure in structure @Fib@, and multiple instances of this closure provide multiple Fibonacci generators.
    594 The C version only has the middle execution state because the top execution state becomes declaration initialization.
     593The C version only has the middle execution state because the top execution state is declaration initialization.
    595594Figure~\ref{f:CFAFibonacciGen} shows the \CFA approach, which also has a manual closure, but replaces the structure with a custom \CFA @generator@ type.
    596595This generator type is then connected to a function that \emph{must be named \lstinline|main|},\footnote{
     
    668667As well, the data state is small, where variables @byte@ and @msg@ are communication variables for passing in message bytes and returning the message, and variables @lnth@, @crc@, and @sum@ are local variable that must be retained between calls and are manually hoisted into the generator type.
    669668% Manually, detecting and hoisting local-state variables is easy when the number is small.
    670 Finally, the execution state is large, with one @resume@ and seven @suspend@s.
     669In contrast, the execution state is large, with one @resume@ and seven @suspend@s.
    671670Hence, the key benefits of the generator are correctness, safety, and maintenance because the execution states are transcribed directly into the programming language rather than using a table-driven approach.
    672671Because FSMs can be complex and occur frequently in important domains, direct support of the generator is crucial in a systems programming-language.
     
    780779Figure~\ref{f:CFAPingPongGen} shows a symmetric generator, where the generator resumes another generator, forming a resume/resume cycle.
    781780(The trivial cycle is a generator resuming itself.)
    782 This control flow is similar to recursion for functions, but without stack growth.
     781This control flow is similar to recursion for functions but without stack growth.
    783782The steps for symmetric control-flow are creating, executing, and terminating the cycle.
    784783Constructing the cycle must deal with definition-before-use to close the cycle, \ie, the first generator must know about the last generator, which is not within scope.
     
    789788Terminating the cycle is accomplished by @suspend@ or @return@, both of which go back to the stack frame that started the cycle (program main in the example).
    790789The starting stack-frame is below the last active generator because the resume/resume cycle does not grow the stack.
    791 Also, since local variables are not retained in the generator function, it does not contain an objects with destructors that must be called, so the  cost is the same as a function return.
     790Also, since local variables are not retained in the generator function, it does not contain any objects with destructors that must be called, so the  cost is the same as a function return.
    792791Destructor cost occurs when the generator instance is deallocated, which is easily controlled by the programmer.
    793792
     
    12201219Hence, the starter coroutine is remembered on the first resume and ending the coroutine resumes the starter.
    12211220Figure~\ref{f:ProdConsRuntimeStacks} shows this semantic by the dashed lines from the end of the coroutine mains: @prod@ starts @cons@ so @cons@ resumes @prod@ at the end, and the program main starts @prod@ so @prod@ resumes the program main at the end.
    1222 For other scenarios, it is always possible to devise a solution with additional programming effort.
     1221For other scenarios, it is always possible to devise a solution with additional programming effort, such as forcing the cycle forward (backward) to a safe point before starting termination.
    12231222
    12241223The producer/consumer example does not illustrate the full power of the starter semantics because @cons@ always ends first.
     
    12901289The function definitions ensures there is a statically-typed @main@ function that is the starting point (first stack frame) of a coroutine, and a mechanism to get (read) the currently executing coroutine handle.
    12911290The @main@ function has no return value or additional parameters because the coroutine type allows an arbitrary number of interface functions with corresponding arbitrary typed input/output values versus fixed ones.
    1292 The advantage of this approach is that users can easily create different types of coroutines, \eg changing the memory layout of a coroutine is trivial when implementing the @get_coroutine@ function, and possibly redefining @suspend@ and @resume@.
     1291The advantage of this approach is that users can easily create different types of coroutines, \eg changing the memory layout of a coroutine is trivial when implementing the @get_coroutine@ function, and possibly redefining \textsf{suspend} and @resume@.
    12931292
    12941293The \CFA custom-type @coroutine@ implicitly implements the getter and forward declarations for the coroutine main.
     
    13381337Once allocated, a VLS is fixed sized.}
    13391338on the allocating stack, provided the allocating stack is large enough.
    1340 For a VLS stack allocation, allocation/deallocation is an inexpensive adjustment of the stack point, modulo any stack constructor costs (\eg initial frame setup).
     1339For a VLS stack allocation/deallocation is an inexpensive adjustment of the stack pointer, modulo any stack constructor costs (\eg initial frame setup).
    13411340For heap stack allocation, allocation/deallocation is an expensive heap allocation (where the heap can be a shared resource), modulo any stack constructor costs.
    13421341With heap stack allocation, it is also possible to use a split (segmented) stack calling-convention, available with gcc and clang, so the stack is variable sized.
     
    13631362However, coroutines are a stepping stone towards concurrency.
    13641363
    1365 The transition to concurrency, even for a single thread with multiple stacks, occurs when coroutines context switch to a \newterm{scheduling coroutine}, introducing non-determinism from the coroutine perspective~\cite[\S~3,]{Buhr05a}\cite{Adya02}.
     1364The transition to concurrency, even for a single thread with multiple stacks, occurs when coroutines context switch to a \newterm{scheduling coroutine}, introducing non-determinism from the coroutine perspective~\cite[\S~3,]{Buhr05a}.
    13661365Therefore, a minimal concurrency system requires coroutines \emph{in conjunction with a nondeterministic scheduler}.
    1367 The resulting execution system now follows a cooperative threading-model, called \newterm{non-preemptive scheduling}.
     1366The resulting execution system now follows a cooperative threading-model~\cite{Adya02,libdill}, called \newterm{non-preemptive scheduling}.
    13681367Adding \newterm{preemption} introduces non-cooperative scheduling, where context switching occurs randomly between any two instructions often based on a timer interrupt, called \newterm{preemptive scheduling}.
    13691368While a scheduler introduces uncertain execution among explicit context switches, preemption introduces uncertainty by introducing implicit context switches.
     
    14241423This semantic ensures a thread is started and stopped exactly once, eliminating some programming error, and scales to multiple threads for basic (termination) synchronization.
    14251424For block allocation to arbitrary depth, including recursion, threads are created/destroyed in a lattice structure (tree with top and bottom).
    1426 Arbitrary topologies are possible using dynamic allocation, allowing threads to outlive their declaration scope, identical to normal dynamically allocating.
     1425Arbitrary topologies are possible using dynamic allocation, allowing threads to outlive their declaration scope, identical to normal dynamic allocation.
    14271426\begin{cfa}
    14281427MyTask * factory( int N ) { ... return `anew( N )`; } $\C{// allocate heap-based threads, implicit start after construction}$
     
    15251524\subsection{Mutual Exclusion}
    15261525
    1527 A group of instructions manipulating a specific instance of shared data that must be performed atomically is called an (individual) \newterm{critical-section}~\cite{Dijkstra65}.
    1528 The generalization is called a \newterm{group critical-section}~\cite{Joung00}, where multiple tasks with the same session may use the resource simultaneously, but different sessions may not use the resource simultaneously.
     1526A group of instructions manipulating a specific instance of shared data that must be performed atomically is called a \newterm{critical section}~\cite{Dijkstra65}, which is enforced by \newterm{simple mutual-exclusion}.
     1527The generalization is called a \newterm{group critical-section}~\cite{Joung00}, where multiple tasks with the same session use the resource simultaneously and different sessions are segregated, which is enforced by \newterm{complex mutual-exclusion} providing the correct kind and number of threads using a group critical-section.
    15291528The readers/writer problem~\cite{Courtois71} is an instance of a group critical-section, where readers share a session but writers have a unique session.
    1530 \newterm{Mutual exclusion} enforces the correct kind and number of threads using a critical section.
    15311529
    15321530However, many solutions exist for mutual exclusion, which vary in terms of performance, flexibility and ease of use.
     
    15481546Preventing or detecting barging is an involved challenge with low-level locks, which is made easier through higher-level constructs.
    15491547This challenge is often split into two different approaches: barging avoidance and prevention.
    1550 Algorithms that unconditionally releasing a lock for competing threads to acquire use barging avoidance during synchronization to force a barging thread to wait.
     1548Algorithms that unconditionally releasing a lock for competing threads to acquire use barging avoidance during synchronization to force a barging thread to wait;
    15511549algorithms that conditionally hold locks during synchronization, \eg baton-passing~\cite{Andrews89}, prevent barging completely.
    15521550
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