Synchronous signals vs. robust code

[Paul Rubin]

"Peter Milliken" <peter.milliken at gtech.com> writes:
> Why not use a language that provides your requirements of signal safety etc
> and do a Python API for it? (assuming one doesn't exist) i.e. I find it
> somewhat difficult to reconcile your statement about responding to time
> critical signals when you propose use of an interpretive language..... :-)
> Sounds like you would ideally like real-time language features in a language
> that isn't designed for it (well, I'm not sure Guido had visions of Python
> being used in real-time applications :-)).

I don't see anything real-time specific in that post.  It's a generic
problem.  I don't see a clean way to make sure your 'finally' clauses
execute if the user hits ^C several times while the program is
running.  Early versions of Unix didn't have reliable signals either,
and it led to flaky programs, til BSD Unix fixed it.