From: Eric Armstrong <Eric.Armstrong@...>
Date: 2006-07-29T09:49:44+09:00
Subject: Re: ruby threads? the point?

Sam Smoot wrote:
> 
> My experience has been that IO is blocking in Ruby/Windows. Just try
> creating a background thread to insert into an MSSQL server through
> WIN32OLE+ADO. It's an exercise in futility. :-)
> 
Ah. That explains why the two counter threads
worked. There was no I/O going on. But outside
of computational supercomputers, there is zero
point in having threads if they don't let you
keep doing things while waiting for I/O.

> ...under Windows it's very painful and really limits the types
> of applications you can build with Ruby...
> 
I'm forced to agree. My little application is dead in the
water. Windows users would have been a major market for it.
It would have helped drive ruby installs, which would have
helped to drive awareness. Similarly with game programs,
music programs, and a wide variety of other interesting
applications.

This limitation is a severe shot in the foot with respect
to platform independence.