Re: Draft pthread_spin_init(2) manual page

[Zack Weinberg <zackw at panix dot com>]

On Wed, Oct 18, 2017 at 4:10 AM, Michael Kerrisk (man-pages)
<mtk.manpages@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I recently drafted a manual page for the pthread_spin_init() and
> pthread_spin_destroy() APIs. Comments and suggestions for improvements
> would be most welcome.

This should probably cross-reference the pthread_mutex_* manpages and
say when it is appropriate to use which.  I see you already have some
of that...

> NOTES
>        Spin locks should be employed in conjunction with real-time sched‐
>        uling policies (SCHED_FIFO, or possibly SCHED_RR).   Use  of  spin
>        locks   with   nondeterministic   scheduling   policies   such  as
>        SCHED_OTHER probably indicates a design mistake.  The  problem  is
>        that  if  a  thread operating under such a policy is scheduled off
>        the CPU while it holds a spin lock, then other threads will  waste
>        time  spinning  on  the  lock  until  the lock holder is once more
>        rescheduled and releases the lock.
>
>        Warning: if threads create a deadlock  situation  while  employing
>        spin locks, those threads will spin forever consuming CPU time.

but you might want to begin with something like "Most programs should
use mutexes (pthread_mutex_init(3)) instead of spin locks.  Spin locks
are primarily useful in conjunction with real-time scheduling ..."

Also, this is important enough that I'd put it in the DESCRIPTION.

zw