Queues in the Real World

The name for queues comes the word in British English used to describe a line of people. Instead of forming lines to wait for some service, British form queues. Thus, when we think of queues, often the first picture to come to mind is a group of people standing in a line. Of course, this is exactly how a computer queue operates as well. The first person in line gets served first. If I get into line before you do, then I will be served before you do.

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Of course, there are other examples of queues besides lines of people. You can think of a train as a long line of railway cars. They are all connected and move together as the train engine pulls them. A line of cars waiting to go through a toll booth or to cross a border is another good example of a queue. The first car in line will be the first car to get through the toll booth. In the picture below, there are actually several lines.

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