[Nel] Network Connections

Thu, 1 Mar 2001 14:38:16 -0800

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+  3) Windows did support something called micro threads, which had a =
+much lower over head than traditional threads.  These ( if i remember =
+correctly ) were designed specifically for scalable IO ( as in IIS ).  =
+Some time looking here may well yield some useful results.
+I come from a nix background, but I wouldn't doubt that windows also has =
+had some implementation of microthreads.  The best current way to use =
+microthreads afaik is stackless python (stackless.org) which I (as the =
+game mechanics programmer) plan to use on the server side of the game my =
+company (In-Orbit Entertainment) is working on using the Nel library.  =
+Microthreads use an old and mostly forgotten programming concept called =
+continuations- a continuation is, in brief, the rest of a program from =
+any given point- that includes it's state and any branch of code it =
+might follow from there.  Stackless Python provides a way to reference =
+continuations- which requires it not to use the C stack for framing(a =
+neat trick u should read about).  Writing microthreads is as simple as =
+defining a bunch of functions and calling them at the same time with a =
+special call- they are executed in parralel within the same thread and =
+each requires almost no overhead above what they would if executed in =
+serial.  EVE (a commercial mmorpg) also plans to use stackless as the =
+basis for their game mechanics.  I dont have any benchmarks on its =
+network performance or scalability, but I plan to test it soon.
+
+Michael Warnock
+In-Orbit Entertainment
+
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+<HTML><HEAD>
+<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
+http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
+<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.3103.1000" name=3DGENERATOR>
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+<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
+<BLOCKQUOTE=20
+style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: =
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+  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3) Windows did support something =
+called micro=20
+  threads, which had a much lower over head than traditional =
+threads.&nbsp;=20
+  These ( if i remember correctly ) were designed specifically for =
+scalable IO (=20
+  as in IIS ).&nbsp; Some time looking here may well yield some useful=20
+  results.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
+<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I come from a nix background, but I =
+wouldn't doubt=20
+that windows also has had some implementation of microthreads.&nbsp; The =
+best=20
+current way to use microthreads afaik is stackless python =
+(stackless.org) which=20
+I (as the game mechanics programmer) plan to use on the server side of =
+the game=20
+my company (In-Orbit Entertainment) is working on using the Nel =
+library.&nbsp;=20
+Microthreads use an old and mostly forgotten programming concept called=20
+continuations- a continuation is, in brief, the rest of a program from =
+any given=20
+point- that includes it's state and any branch of code it might follow =
+from=20
+there.&nbsp; Stackless Python provides a way to reference continuations- =
+which=20
+requires it not to use the C stack for framing(a neat trick u should =
+read=20
+about).&nbsp; Writing microthreads is as simple as defining a bunch of =
+functions=20
+and calling them at the same time with a special call- they are executed =
+in=20
+parralel within the same thread and each requires almost no overhead =
+above what=20
+they would if executed in serial.&nbsp; EVE (a commercial mmorpg) also =
+plans to=20
+use stackless as the basis for their game mechanics.&nbsp; I dont have =
+any=20
+benchmarks on its network performance or scalability, but I plan to test =
+it=20
+soon.</FONT></DIV>
+<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
+<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Michael Warnock</FONT></DIV>
+<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In-Orbit =
+Entertainment</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
+
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