Re: [PATCH 1/6] MIPS: Octeon: Implement __smp_store_release()

[Peter Zijlstra]

On Thu, Jan 28, 2021 at 12:52:22PM +0100, Alexander Sverdlin wrote:
> Hello Peter,
> 
> On 28/01/2021 12:33, Peter Zijlstra wrote:
> > This, from commit 6b07d38aaa52 ("MIPS: Octeon: Use optimized memory
> > barrier primitives."):
> > 
> > 	#define smp_mb__before_llsc() smp_wmb()
> > 	#define __smp_mb__before_llsc() __smp_wmb()
> > 
> > is also dodgy as hell and really wants a comment too. I'm not buying the
> > Changelog of that commit either, __smp_mb__before_llsc should also
> > ensure the LL cannot happen earlier, but SYNCW has no effect on loads.
> > So what stops the load from being speculated?
> 
> hmm, the commit message you point to above, says:
> 
> "Since Octeon does not do speculative reads, this functions as a full barrier."

So then the only difference between SYNC and SYNCW is a pipeline drain?

I still worry about the transitivity thing.. ISTR that being a sticky
point back then too.