get_task_struct()

[Fabiano Ramos <ramos_fabiano@yahoo.com.br>]

Dear All,

Inside sys_ptrace, the function get_task_struct is invoked after
retrieving the child's task srtuct pointer. Why is it done? I have
tracked down the code and noticed that it is in fact an increment
on the (page?) counter. Can you help me understand it? 

Is it necessary to call free_task_struct whenever its get counterpart
is called?


** arch/i386/kernel/ptrace.c
>  read_lock(&tasklist_lock);
>  child = find_task_by_pid(pid);
>  if (child)
>              get_task_struct(child);
>  read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);

Thanks in advance,
Fabiano