Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2016 18:42:33 +0200
From: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>
To: Waiman Long <Waiman.Long@hpe.com>
Cc: Ingo Molnar <mingo@redhat.com>, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org,
        Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>,
        Ding Tianhong <dingtianhong@huawei.com>,
        Jason Low <jason.low2@hpe.com>, Davidlohr Bueso <dave@stgolabs.net>,
        "Paul E. McKenney" <paulmck@us.ibm.com>,
        Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>,
        Will Deacon <Will.Deacon@arm.com>,
        Tim Chen <tim.c.chen@linux.intel.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v3 2/3] locking/mutex: Enable optimistic spinning of
 woken task in wait queue
Message-ID: <20160329164233.GB11035@twins.programming.kicks-ass.net>
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 <20160329153935.GL3408@twins.programming.kicks-ass.net>
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On Tue, Mar 29, 2016 at 05:39:35PM +0200, Peter Zijlstra wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 22, 2016 at 01:46:43PM -0400, Waiman Long wrote:
> > Ding Tianhong reported a live-lock situation where a constant stream
> > of incoming optimistic spinners blocked a task in the wait list from
> > getting the mutex.
> > 
> > This patch attempts to fix this live-lock condition by enabling the
> > woken task in the wait queue to enter into an optimistic spinning
> > loop itself in parallel with the regular spinners in the OSQ. This
> > should prevent the live-lock condition from happening.
> 
> I would very much like a few words on how fairness is preserved.
> 
> Because while the waiter remains on the wait_list while it spins, and
> therefore unlock()s will only wake it, and we'll only contend with the
> one waiter, the fact that we have two spinners is not fair or starvation
> proof at all.

Alternatively, we can say this is good enough until proven deficient,
but then we should still very much document this.