[Python-Dev] The endless GIL debate: why not remove thread support instead?

[Sturla Molden]

On 12/12/2008 11:52 AM, Lennart Regebro wrote:

> The use of threads for load balancing should be discouraged, yes. That
> is not what they are designed for. Threads are designed to allow
> blocking processes to go on in the background without blocking the
> main process.

It seems that most programmers with Java or Windows experience don't 
understand this; hence the ever lasting GIL debate.

With multiple interpreters - one interpreter per thread - this could 
still be accomplished. Let one interpreter block while another continues 
to work. Then the result of the blocking operation is messaged back. 
Multi-threaded C libraries could be used the in same way. But there 
would be no need for a GIL, because each interpreter would be a 
single-threaded compartment.

.NET have something similar in what is called 'appdomains'.

I am not suggesting removal of threads but rather the Java threading 
model. I just think it is a mistake to let multiple OS threads touch the 
same interpreter.

Sturla Molden