Re: [PATCH 1/19] MUTEX: Introduce simple mutex implementation

Erik Mouw
2005-12-15T16:53:00Z

On Thu, Dec 15, 2005 at 08:15:49AM -0800, Linus Torvalds wrote:
> First off, the data structure is called a "semaphore", and always has
> been. It's _never_ been called a "mutex" in the first place, and the
> operations have been called "down()" and "up()", because I thought calling
> them P() and V() was just too damn traditional and confusing (I don't
> speak dutch, and even if I did, I think shortening names to that degree is
> just evil).

Just FYI, according to Dijkstra[1] V means "verhoog" which is dutch for
"increase". P means "prolaag" which isn't a dutch word, just something
Dijkstra invented. I guess he did that because "decrease" is "verlaag"
in dutch and that would give you the confusing V() and V()
operations...

Other explanations you see in dutch CS courses are "passeer" (pass),
"probeer" (try), "vrijgave" (unlock).

I do agree that Dijkstra should have used Prolaag() and Verhoog(), but
I guess those operations wouldn't have sticked in the english CS
literature.

Erik

[1] http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/EWD/ewd00xx/EWD74.PDF

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