[Python-Dev] Re: [Python-checkins] python/nondist/peps pep-0311.txt,NONE,1.1

[Just van Rossum]

mhammond@users.sourceforge.net wrote:

> Open Issues
>     This is where I note comments from people that are yet to be
resolved.
>     - JustvR prefers a PyGIL prefix over PyAutoThreadState.
>     - JackJ notes that the "Auto" prefix will look a little silly
>       in a few years, assuming this becomes the standard way of
>       managing the lock.  He doesn't really like Just's "GIL", and
>       suggested "PyIntLock"

Oh, so now we're locking integers? ;-)

The reason I don't like "Auto" is that there's nothing automatic going
on: you still have to _use_ the API actively...

My opinion is biased because very recently I wrote a module called
"autoGIL" for OSX, which actually _does_ handle the GIL automatically,
in the context of event loops: it releases the GIL when the event loop
goes to sleep and acquires it when it wakes up again. This works for us
as the even loop is not supposed to use blocking calls to begin with.
Handling the GIL the "proper" way in this project (PyObjC) would be
impossible without PEP 311, but even with it, it will be an huge amount
of work.

I like PyGIL for the prefix as "GIL" is a well understood acronym; you
can't really discuss the issues without using it... But it's totally
your call.

Just