On structuring operating systems with monitors

ABSTRACT

This paper considers whether Hoare's monitor proposal for structuring operating systems could usefully be applied in the design of substantial operating systems for medium or large computers. Attention is drawn to problems which might arise in terms of the structural form of monitors, the approach to resource scheduling, and the monitor approach to synekrordsation and process scheduling. An appended note considers the related technique proposed by Wirth in the Modula language.

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INDEX TERMS

Keywords:
classes, critical regions, monitors, multiprogramming, operating systems, semaphores, synchronisation