[concurrency-interest] concurrency puzzle

[Jeremy Manson]

David Holmes wrote:
> Jeremy,
> 
> Now you've confused me :)

I do seem to be doing more harm than good here...  :)

>> If, on the other hand, the print() method assigns a value to y before
>> the println() statement, thus:
>>
>> public void print() {
>>    y = 42;
>>    System.out.println(y);
>> }
>>
>> then the same program would either print out 10 or 42, but not 0.
> 
> Ummm if the assignment occurs in the print method then the subsequent
> println must print 42 regardless because the assignment occurred in the same
> thread.

This is why I don't like the way we've been phrasing this example.  We 
haven't actually been showing both threads.  I'll do it a little 
differently (Maybe this will clarify?).  If the class is this:

public class A{
    private int x = 10;
    public static A a;

    public void foo(){
       x = 20;
       synchronized(this){
          System.out.println( x );
       }
    }

    public void bar(){
       synchronized(this){
          System.out.println( x );
       }
    }

}


This is one of the examples we have been discussing:

Thread 1:
A o = new A();
A.a = o;

Thread 2:
A r1 = A.a;
assert r1 != null;
r1.foo(); // can print out 10 or 20

This is the other:

Thread 1:
A o = new A();
A.a = o;

Thread 2:
A r1 = A.a;
assert r1 != null;
A r1.bar(); // can print out 10 or 0


					Jeremy