On Wed, 09 May 2007 18:06:58 -0400
Jeff Garzik <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > -#define in_aio() !is_sync_wait(current->io_wait)
> > +#define in_aio() (unlikely(!is_sync_wait(current->io_wait)))
>
> Please revert. Workload-dependent "likelihood" should not cause
> programmers to add such markers.
>
> This is a common misunderstanding about unlikely() and likely(). The
> branch prediction used for each assumes 99% unlikely or 99% likely,
> which is not true at all for workload-dependent code.
>
> Even if only 1% of Linux users use AIO, for that 1%, the 'unlikely'
> marker causes repeated branch mispredictions.
>
> likely() and unlikely() should be used for cases where code is
> likely/unlikely for EVERYBODY.
a) disagree with the above
b) if in_aio() ever returns true we do
printk(KERN_ERR "%s(%s:%d) called in async context!\n",
__FUNCTION__, __FILE__, __LINE__);
so I sure hope it's unlikely for all workloads.
-
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