Now that the Linux kernel is once again able to run all the tests we
have and since glibc 2.3 was released it was time for a new code drop.
I've uploaded the second code drop for the Native POSIX Thread
Library:

  ftp://people.redhat.com/drepper/nptl/nptl-0.2.tar.bz2

You need

- the latest of Linus' kernel from BitKeeper (or 2.5.41 when it
  is released);

- glibc 2.3

- the very latest in tools such as

  + gcc either from the current development branch or the gcc 3.2
    from Red Hat Linux 8;

  + binutils preferrably from CVS, from H.J. Lu's latest release for
    Linux, or from RHL 8.


Compiling glibc should proceed smoothly.  But there are a number of
tests which fail, mostly because some functionality is missing in
glibc.  Ignore those errors.  It is only important that all tests in
nptl/ are passing.  Run

  make subdirs=nptl check

to run all thread tests.


This version features several improvements:

- all APIs are now implemented;

- fork handling has been improved; stacks in the child are freed;
  atfork handlers are removed if they were registered from a module
  which gets unloaded.

- pthread_tryjoin_np and pthread_timedjoin_np are implemented

- TSD handling corrected and optimized.

- many more tests which also test the underlying kernel implementation.

- the build infrastructure has been implemented so that the DSO and
  archives are built in usable form and with correct named.

- libthread_db has been implemented.  This is the library which is
  needed by all program which need to get access to internals of
  libpthread (mainly debuggers).

- the CPU clock functions are implemented


The white paper hasn't yet been updated.  It's still available at

  http://people.redhat.com/drepper/nptl-design.pdf


This release should be ready for some serious testing.  I know it is
hard to compile which I why I'm looking into providing binary RPMs.
They can be used on non-critical systems.  I'll only be able to
provide binaries for RHL8 based systems, though, and the kernel still
must be installed separately.


The next steps will include:

- write more tests and fix the bugs which are discovered this way

- update the white paper

- write and run more performance tests

- port to IA-64


Interested parties are once again invited to join the mailing we
created:


  phil-list@redhat.com

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  https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/phil-list

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