Further comments on Dijkstra's concurrent programming control problem

E.W. Dijkstra 1 presented an algorithm whereby N mainly independent computers, with a common data store as their sole means of communication, could contend for exclusive control of any given resource (storage, I/O, etc.). To use the resource, a computer had to gain access to the “critical section” of the algorithm, within which one and only one computer at a time could be executing.