Re: Threads in emacs implementation

[Nic Ferrier]

Miles Bader <address@hidden> writes:

> On 6/17/05, Ted Zlatanov <address@hidden> wrote:
>> This will make threads more of a utility than a true built-in, and
>> threaded code would be written especially for that purpose.
>
> Do you know of any applications that require this?  For many purposes,
> using timers etc. seems to work fairly well already.
>
> The main reason I can see for wanting threading is to allow users to
> continue using Emacs in one window while waiting for another window
> that's doing something (e.g. Gnus updating over a dialup).  However
> that level of functionality is hard to implement.

I think that's the problem isn't it? Analysis of what benefit Emacs
could get from threads. 

We don't need threads for improving GNUs - we just need better async
protocol implementations. They will come, slowly, but surely.

I think threads would be most useful for things like fontification and
parsing (eg: in xml buffers).

When you think about these applications a bolt on thread model looks
less attractive.


Nic