NAME
subs::parallel - enables subroutines to seamlessly run in parallel
VERSION
Version 0.09
DESCRIPTION
This module gives Perl programmers the ability to easily and
conveniently create multi-threaded applications through parallel
subroutines.
Parallel subroutines are just plain old subroutines which happen to run
in another thread. When called, they return immediately to the calling
thread but keep running in another. When its return value is needed
somewhere, the returned value is transparently fetched. If the thread is
still running, the code blocks waiting for it to finish (since the
program can't go on without a value and keep being transparent).
So, as it's possible to notice, the module interface aims to be as
simple as possible. In fact, it works in such a way that, aside from the
*parallelyzing* directives, you wouldn't be able to tell it's a
multi-threaded application. All the thread handling (which isn't *that*
complicated, really) is done automagically.
It should work for anything that's thread safe - even for subroutines
whose return values are not usually available across thread boundaries
(for example, usually, you can't "share" an object, but this module
makes it possible to return them without any problems, provided they're
thread safe).
MOTIVATION
The main reason behind this module was the fact that Perl threads are
not widely used. Some could argue that this might happen because Perl
threads are not very practical to use. Others could say that the
restrictions imposed by the use of threads (you can't pass arbitrary
data structures between threads).
The latter issue is out of my reach. But, through the use of already
existing features, it was possible to mask it a little bit. So you can
return anything from your parallelyzed subroutines, but this is just
some maybe unknown feature of "threads-"join>.
The first issue is the main aim of this module: provide an extremely
simple way to make multi-threaded applications. Along this near-future
reality of a majority of dual-core computers, multi-threading might
become the factor that distiguishes good from bad software.
But I would be dishonest if I didn't note that some part of the effort
was driven by the will to prove it could be done in Perl.
INSTALLATION
To install this module, run the following commands:
perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make install
COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE
Put the correct copyright and licence information here.
