Python on multi-processor machines (Was Re: [Zope] Re: Windows vs. Linux)

[Paul Winkler]

On Thu, Aug 29, 2002 at 10:42:10AM -0400, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> > Paul Browning wrote:
> > > 
> > > I don't think you are missing anything. The Python GIL is a bit of
> > > a show-stopper - I've been suprised that this isn't more widely
> > > known. Hoping I'm wrong nonetheless ....
> > 
> > I wonder if Guido has any comment on this?
> 
> I haven't seen the rest of the thread, so I don't know the context.

http://www.zope.org/Members/glpb/solaris/report_ps

> The GIL *is* widely known, and there's nothing that can be done about
> it (without redesigning all of Python's runtime from scratch, anyway).
> 
> To use Python on multiple processors, the best thing to do is to
> run multiple processes, rather than multiple threads.

So for Zope, binding Zope (or each ZEO client) to a single processor
seems to be the way to go.  Which requires support from the OS
as described at the url above...

--

Paul Winkler
"Welcome to Muppet Labs, where the future is made - today!"