Re: [boost] Site updated - requirements/process

From: Beman Dawes (beman_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-05-10 06:35:05

At 09:01 PM 5/10/00 +1200, Mark Rodgers wrote:

>> Based on the discussions over the last several days, I have
updated
>> the web site, particularly
http://www.boost.org/more/lib_guide.htm,
>> and a new page http://www.boost.org/more/submission_process.htm
>
>This new page contained an intriguing line.
>
>  "Libraries are software; they loose their value over time if not 
>  maintained.  Details still hazy."
>
>This is area of haziness is of interest to me since I'm quite keen
>to see some changes in one of the libraries, namely Nicolai
Josuttis's 
>compose.hpp[1].   I could just modify it myself for my own use since

>his copyright terms allow me to do that, but what if I want to see 
>those changes incorporated in the "official" version?  
>
>In general, should I propose any changes to the author personally,
>post the suggestion to this list and hope (s)he is still active, or
do
>the active members effectively own the library and you (we??) will 
>maintain it in the actual owner's absence?  Certainly this last
option 
>is available for those libraries that do grant permission to "use, 
>modify, etc", so is this a clause that is desirable in a submission?

Good questions!

My initial reaction is to propose small changes to the author
personally, but larger changes, particularly if they affect the
interface, might go to the list.

If the original submitter is "absent", as you so nicely put it, then
someone else would have to take over as maintainer.  

>And what happens if I am the author of an accepted library and want 
>to release a new version?  Does that go though the same submission 
>process as the original?

No, not for normal small maintenance changes.  They should just go to
the boost webmaster directly for posting.

On the other hand, we might want to ask that a redesign of a library
go through the review process.  I don't know what to say about large
changes that fall short of redesign.

Pending comments from others, I will update the "Lifecycle" section
along the lines of the following.

The FAQ also needs updating.  Anyone care to volunteer?

--Beman