instead of allocating a userspace structure for signal-based timers,
simply use the kernel timer id. we use the fact that thread pointers
will always be zero in the low bit (actually more) to encode integer
timerid values as pointers.
also, this change ensures that the timer_destroy syscall has completed
before the library timer_destroy function returns, in case it matters.
the major idea of this patch is not to depend on having the timer
pointer delivered to the signal handler, and instead use the thread
pointer to get the callback function address and argument. this way,
the parent thread can make the timer_create syscall while the child
thread is starting, and it should never have to block waiting for the
barrier.
this implementation is superior to the glibc/nptl implementation, in
that it gives true realtime behavior. there is no risk of timer
expiration events being lost due to failed thread creation or failed
malloc, because the thread is created as time creation time, and
reused until the timer is deleted.
Rich Felker