DESCRIPTION

  DECthreads, HP's multithreading run-time library, provides a set of
  interfaces for building multithreaded programs. One of these interfaces
  provides routines (with the prefix pthread_) that implement the IEEE Std
  1003.1c-1995, POSIX System Application Program Interface, also known as
  POSIX Standard 1003.1c or POSIX.1c.  Note that POSIX Standard 1003.1c now
  supersedes the POSIX draft standard 1003.4a.

  A thread is a single, sequential flow of control within a program.  Within
  a single thread, there is a single point of execution.  Most traditional
  programs consist of a single thread.

  Using DECthreads, a programmer can create more than one threads within a
  program.  Threads execute concurrently, and, within a multithreaded pro-
  gram, there are at any time multiple points of execution.  The threads in a
  given process execute within (and share) a single address space.  There-
  fore, threads read and write the same memory locations.  Synchronization
  elements such as mutexes and condition variables ensure that the shared
  memory is accessed correctly.  DECthreads provides routines that allow you
  to create and use these synchronization elements.  Mutexes and condition
  variables are discussed in the Guide to DECthreads.

  Users of previous versions of DECthreads should be aware that applications
  consistent with the P1003.4a/D4 interface require significant modifications
  to be upgraded to the DECthreads pthread (POSIX.1c) interface.  See the
  discussion in the Guide to DECthreads.

  Routine names ending with the _np suffix denote that the routine is "not
  portable."  That is, such a routine might not be available in other vendor
  implementations of POSIX 1003.1c.

  Each C module that utilizes DECthreads exceptions must include the
  pthread_exception.h header file. The Guide to DECthreads describes the use
  of DECthreads exceptions.

  The Guide to DECthreads describes important considerations for threaded
  application development, particularly for the OpenVMS operating system.

  Threads are packaged with the operating system.