From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: Josh Triplett <josh-iaAMLnmF4UmaiuxdJuQwMA@public.gmane.org>
Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH v8 1/9] Restartable sequences system call
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2016 13:44:50 -0700
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To: Linus Torvalds <torvalds-de/tnXTf+JLsfHDXvbKv3WD2FQJk+8+b@public.gmane.org>
Cc: Mathieu Desnoyers <mathieu.desnoyers-vg+e7yoeK/dWk0Htik3J/w@public.gmane.org>, Peter Zijlstra <peterz-wEGCiKHe2LqWVfeAwA7xHQ@public.gmane.org>, "Paul E. McKenney" <paulmck-23VcF4HTsmIX0ybBhKVfKdBPR1lH4CV8@public.gmane.org>, Boqun Feng <boqun.feng-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>, Andy Lutomirski <luto-kltTT9wpgjJwATOyAt5JVQ@public.gmane.org>, Dave Watson <davejwatson-b10kYP2dOMg@public.gmane.org>, Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel-u79uwXL29TY76Z2rM5mHXA@public.gmane.org>, Linux API <linux-api-u79uwXL29TY76Z2rM5mHXA@public.gmane.org>, Paul Turner <pjt-hpIqsD4AKlfQT0dZR+AlfA@public.gmane.org>, Andrew Morton <akpm-de/tnXTf+JLsfHDXvbKv3WD2FQJk+8+b@public.gmane.org>, Russell King <linux-lFZ/pmaqli7XmaaqVzeoHQ@public.gmane.org>, Thomas Gleixner <tglx-hfZtesqFncYOwBW4kG4KsQ@public.gmane.org>, Ingo Molnar <mingo-H+wXaHxf7aLQT0dZR+AlfA@public.gmane.org>, "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa-YMNOUZJC4hwAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>, Andrew Hunter <ahh-hpIqsD4AKlfQT0dZR+AlfA@public.gmane.org>, Andi Kleen <andi-Vw/NltI1exuRpAAqCnN02g@public.gmane.org>, Chris Lameter <cl-vYTEC60ixJUAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>, Ben Maurer <bmaurer-b10kYP2dOMg@public.gmane.org>, Steven Rostedt <rostedt-nx8X9YLhiw1AfugRpC6u6w@public.gmane.org>, Catalin Marinas <catalin.marinas@arm>
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On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 01:23:57PM -0700, Linus Torvalds wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 1:07 PM, Mathieu Desnoyers
> <mathieu.desnoyers-vg+e7yoeK/dWk0Htik3J/w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
> >
> > Benchmarking various approaches for reading the current CPU number:
> 
> So I'd like to see the benchmarks of something that actually *does* something.
> 
> IOW, what's the bigger-picture "this is what it actually is useful
> for, and how it speeds things up".
> 
> Nobody gets a cpu number just to get a cpu number - it's not a useful
> thing to benchmark. What does getcpu() so much that we care?

The combination of CPU number and restartable sequence allows userspace
to write "per-CPU" rather than "per-thread" algorithms, just as the
kernel can.  The kernel can do that with preempt_disable().  Userspace
can do it with "tell me my CPU and restart me if preempted".

But yes, this needs a benchmark of, for instance, urcu implemented on
top of this, or some concrete data structure.