Semaphore operations naming

[msplr]

Are take and release really the right names for semaphore operations? What about something like pend or wait instead of take and signal or post instead release? In my eyes it looks strange to use os_semaphore_release() to wake a blocking thread, since release rather reminds me of a lock and not a signaling method. What do you think?

[antoinealb]

I already got biten by that, so I vote for a naming change. My vote goes to pend and signal.

[msplr]

+1 for pend and signal

[pierluca]

From a linguistic point of view, I'd prefer wait to pend. Pend gives the idea of indecision, unlike wait.

[antoinealb]

So pend is more appropriate as you don't know if the semaphore will be signaled.

[pierluca]

Not really.

pend

1. to await judgment or settlement
2. to hang; depend or
3. to remain undecided or unsettled.

It's not indecision as in "Waiting for Godot" but rather indecision as "who knows what will happen to this".

On the other hand:

wait a. To remain or rest in expectation b. To tarry until another catches up.

[31415us]

since semaphores are just somewhat glorified counters what about inc and dec?

[antoinealb]

P & V #troll