Python multi-threading example

multi_pipe.py

from multiprocessing import Process, Pipe
import sys
import time
import random

def worker(p):
	while True:
		s = p.recv()
		if not s:
			break
		time.sleep(random.random())
		p.send("%s is a %s!" % (s, random.choice(['cat', 'dog', 'oter', 'hedgehog'])))


def get_s():
	return raw_input("Enter a name: ")

parent_pipe, child_pipe = Pipe()
p = Process(target=worker, args=[child_pipe])
p.start()

s = get_s()
while s:
	parent_pipe.send(s)

	print 'Thinking',
	while not parent_pipe.poll():
		print '.',
		sys.stdout.flush()
		time.sleep(.1)
	print

	message = parent_pipe.recv()
	if not message:
		raise RuntimeError("This is weird!")
	print 'Message:', message

	s = get_s()

parent_pipe.send(None)

print "Finita!"

multi_queue.py

from multiprocessing import Process, Queue
import sys
import time
import random


def worker(s_q, r_q):
	while True:
		s = s_q.get()
		if not s:
			break
		time.sleep(random.random())
		r_q.put("%s is a %s!" % (s, random.choice(['cat', 'dog', 'oter', 'hedgehog'])))


def get_s():
	return raw_input("Enter a name: ")

send_q = Queue()
receive_q = Queue()
p = Process(target=worker, args=[send_q, receive_q])
p.start()

s = get_s()
while s:
	send_q.put(s)

	while receive_q.empty():
		print '.',
		sys.stdout.flush()
		time.sleep(.2)
	
	message = receive_q.get_nowait()
	if not message:
		raise RuntimeError("This is weird!")
	print 'Message:', message

	s = get_s()

send_q.put(None)

print "Finita!"