I'm not sure if a term like "tasks" / "jobs" / "actions" makes more sense. You wouldn't necessarily separate each thing that a program does into a new thread... Functions are for separating each body of work, while threads represent a path of execution through a process. In this way multiple lines of execution are intertwined to form a process, just as real threads are intertwined to form a rope... It's not a very good metaphor, but I can't think of a better one.
In Ada, "tasks" makes sense, but only because it is an abstraction that makes use of threads while managing all memory access and separation from the rest of the process.
Hmm. Good points. Maybe make an analogy to sonething like traffic lanes? More lanes equals more throughput. Not always utilized and diminishing gains as you add lanes for given workload. Problems occur during intersections where they share a resource. Requires synchronization, signalling, and/or ordering protocols to maintain safety.
How you like THAT! Maybe need a similar analogy closer to whats going on but the spirit of it seems accurate. Maybe factory workers on assembly lines or offics workers at desks.
In Ada, "tasks" makes sense, but only because it is an abstraction that makes use of threads while managing all memory access and separation from the rest of the process.