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"Should the first in a queue be served last?" No. Queues are, by definition, FIFO. This article is one of the most idiotic pieces of drivel that I've read in a
by jackmaney 11y ago
"Should the first in a queue be served last?"
No. Queues are, by definition, FIFO. This article is one of the most idiotic pieces of drivel that I've read in a long time. I want my two minutes back.
- dantillberg 11y agoI assume this is intended to be sarcasm? I thought that the article was very interesting, especially in the context of software engineering, even if the word "queue" was used in the colloquial sense (and not the stricter technical meaning used in computing).
- jackmaney 11y ago> I assume this is intended to be sarcasm? Your assumption is incorrect.
- vacri 11y agoBy convention, not by definition.
- jackmaney 11y agoNo, by definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queue_(abstract_data_type) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queue_(abstract_data_type)
- vacri 11y agoHave you never queued up for something, only to have someone in the queue served out of order? A new cashier's register opens up? Or a special consideration for a member of the queue? I remember being served out of order in a queue for an airline ticket (due to my height). Do you have an alternate name for these structures of humans? Are you one of those people that considers technical jargon in a narrow field to supersede all broader meaning of a term? I mean, nothing in the article even suggests CS queues...
- meatmanek 11y agoIn the context of queueing theory, there are many service disciplines[1] that can be used, which are not necessarily FIFO. Depending on what you're optimizing for, and the behaviors of your system (arrival process, task size distribution, number of servers, preemption overhead, etc.), it can be much better to process things in an order other than arrival order. In particular, FIFO can mean small tasks end up waiting a long time behind large tasks. (Imagine going into a shop that sells sandwiches and pre-packaged salads; you want a salad, and there are 5 people waiting for sandwiches. Should you have to wait until the clerk makes 5 sandwiches before you can get your salad and leave?) 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queueing_theory#Service_disciplines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queueing_theory#Service_discip...