Re: [PATCH] workqueue: remove the unneeded cpu_relax() in __queue_work()

[Tejun Heo <tj@kernel.org>]

On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 01:27:55PM +0800, Lai Jiangshan wrote:
> changing pwq:
> 	install pwq
> 	lock(pool->lock)
> 	put_pwq();
> 	unlock(pool->lock)
> 
> __queue_work():
> 	lock(pool->lock)
> 	test ref and find it zero;
> 	see the installation here;
> 	it is guaranteed to get the installed pwq on the immediate next try.
> 	unlock()
> 	retry.

The fact that pool->lock locking happens to provide enough barrier for
the above to work is an accidental implementation detail.  We
theoretically can move refcnting out of pool->lock.  Nothing
semantically guarantees that barrier to be there to interlock pwq
qinstallation and the last put.  Removing that cpu_relax() doesn't buy
us *ANYTHING* and removing that with rationale of making it go faster
would easily win pointless micro optimization award of the year.  Just
let it go.

-- 
tejun