🚀 go-pugleaf

slhpv@cc.usu.edu writes:

> 
> For my masters I am planning to do some work with parallel programming.
> Specifically, I want to do some simulations of parallel machines that
> use a shared address space.
> 
> Could anyone tell me how well OS/2 threads are supported by various
> compilers, and to what level the threads do data/code sharing?
> 
> I need to use C++ with real good built in support for concurrent
> processes (semaphores, moniters, etc.) as well as shared address space
> and was wondering how well OS/2 2.0 will compete in this area.
> 
> Any information, or pointers to other Operating Systems would be
> appreciated...
> 
> 	- Dave
> PS. please include prices if possible, this is a total from scratch project

 
OS/2 thread support is really handled at the o/s level.  However, you 
will need a compiler that has appropriate multi-threaded library support 
so that you can still use the C/C++ library routines in multiple threads 
safely.  Most C/C++ compilers that target OS/2 will have some sort of 
thread support.  They usually have a function group for starting and 
ending threads such as _beginthread which replaces DosBeginThread.  This 
function would be called to ensure that the run-time library properly 
preapres itself for multi-threading.
 
Without hesitation, the best mutli-threading support I have come across 
in a C++ compiler is from JPI in TopSpeed C++.  Their libraries are 
fully-reentrant and the multi-threaded programs written under OS/2 are 
(or can be made, rather) portable to DOS as their run-time supports 
multi-threaded DOS applications.  The main reason that I'm mentioning 
TopSpeed C++ to you is that it is also quite affordable.  They have some 
sort of deal going on right now for readers of PC Techniques where you 
can get the Professional Edition of the compiler and development 
environment (tagerts DOS, Windows and OS/2) for $197 US.  If you go this 
route, ask them to substitute the DOS Extender for the library source or 
some other equally priced item, since the DOS Extender would be kind of 
useless under OS/2...
 
Hope this helps. 
 
One point to make, however, is that I have not been able to find any 
application frameworks for PM development which support (or are supported 
by..?) TopSpeed C++...this is a bummer.  Other libraries (Rogue Wave and 
the like) work well with JPI.  In fact, JPI has their own version of the 
Rogue Wave libraries, with source, available for sale.

Barry King              bking@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca
Edmonton Remote Systems:  Celebrating 10 years of service to Northern Alberta