Re: [boost] Breaking existing libraries

Subject: Re: [boost] Breaking existing libraries
From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-12-03 15:48:40

on Mon Nov 24 2008, Matthias Schabel <boost-AT-schabel-family.org> wrote:

> This is a somewhat tangential thought, but ... what if each release of the Boost
> libraries
> was put into its own namespace, so we have code in
>
> namespace boost_1_38_0 { ... }
>
> rather than in namespace boost. Then, in end user code, you just need :
>
> using namespace boost = boost_1_38_0;
>
> It seems like this would allow certain deprecated Boost components (those that are not
> too strongly coupled
> to the rest of Boost) to be used at the same time as more recent components from other
> libraries :
>
> using boost_1_32_0::iterator_range;
>
> iterator_range<some_iterator>	rng;
>
> which might sidestep some of the recent iterator_range anarchy, and simplify other
> major transitions. N.B. I
> haven't really thought about the ramifications of doing this, so the idea might be
> completely unworkable in
> practice.

It also allows multiple versions of boost to exist in the same
executable without ODR violations.  The ability to configure boost that
way would be most welcome.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com