The Parable of the Dining Programmers

Posted Oct 13, 2004 4:50 UTC (Wed) by maney (subscriber, #12630)
In reply to: Approaches to realtime Linux by Quazatron
Parent article: Approaches to realtime Linux

Five programmers sit around a circular table. Each programmer spends his life alternatively hacking and eating. In the center of the table is an assortment of sushi and accompanying dishes. By the rules of the house style guide, a programmer needs two chopsticks to eat a piece of sushi. Unfortunately, as programming is not so well paid as managing, the programmers can only afford five chopsticks. One chopstick is placed between each pair of programmers, and they must each use only the sticks to his immediate right and left.

For the rest of the details in slightly altered form, google(dining philosophers).