what's the point of rpython?

[Ross Ridge]

Paul Rubin  <http://phr.cx@NOSPAM.invalid> wrote:
>Those links describe using the LOCK prefix, which as the name implies,
>asserts a lock, so it is no longer "lockless reference counting". 

No, it doesn't assert a lock in the sense used in this thread.  On modern
Intel systems it's normally handled completely within the cache.

>The LOCK prefix adds about 100 cycles to the instruction.

That's unavoidable.  It's still faster than spin lock, which would also
have to use syncronizing instructions.  

				Ross Ridge

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