Re: [PATCH] Avoid calling down_read and down_write during startup

From: Alan Stern
Date: Fri Feb 24 2006 - 15:19:25 EST


On Fri, 24 Feb 2006, Benjamin LaHaise wrote:

> > > A read lock is a memory barrier. That's why I'm opposed to using non-rcu
> > > style locking for them.
> >
> > But RCU-style locking can't be used in situations where the reader may
> > block. So it's not possible to use it with blocking notifier chains.
>
> Then we shouldn't have non-atomic notifier chains in performance critical
> codepaths. The original implementation's hooks into critical paths held
> these characteristics. If that property has been broken, please fix it
> instead of adding more locking.

Sorry, no can do. You'll have to complain to the people who put blocking
code into critical paths in the first place. I don't know which paths are
critical nor do I know how to change the code to make it non-blocking.

Or you could write some patches yourself instead of asking other people to
do it for you.

Alan Stern

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