Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ficc!peter From: peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards Subject: Re: Is System V.4 fork reliable? Message-ID: Date: 1 Aug 90 18:56:21 GMT References: <561@oglvee.UUCP> <480@amanue.UUCP> <13426@cbmvax.commodore.com> <573@oglvee.UUCP> <13545@cbmvax.commodore.com> Reply-To: peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) Organization: Xenix Support, FICC Lines: 8 Isn't the problem that EAGAIN is being overloaded for two purposes: out of process table space (likely long-term on the time-scale programs operate, and should be an error *for most programs*) and out of memory (likely short term, so you should back off and try again)? Since only the kernel can distinguish these two cases, it should be the one to implement the retry (like, if fork failed because it couldn't get the buffer don't drop all the way to system mode: allocate a block and when you get it then you redo the fork... with the allocated block at hand so it can't fail). -- Peter da Silva. `-_-' +1 713 274 5180. 'U`