Re: [Boost-build] The future of B2?

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] The future of B2?
From: Loïc Joly (l.joly_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-09-27 17:59:14

I would like to comment on this subject, from the point of view of someone who only used b2 because it was required to compile boost.And never tried to use it on my own projects, because the pain of just using pre-packaged b2 projects was high enough that I did not want to look at it deeper. The most customization I made with b2 used to build boost was to fine tune 1 or two compilation flags.

On the other hand, I have a very good knowledge of MsBuild, and I've used on real projects makefiles, cmake, ant (which hardly qualifies as a build system, IMO), some of them used to build to 23 different platforms, so I'm not total novice in build systems.

I agree with you that the points you mentioned are very important. Especially, for me the first one (allowing to use an IDE) is non negotiable. But even if all those points were solved, I would not yet want to look at b2. I would even prefer ant, which means a lot... Why? I know it is intrinsically harder that those other systems I mentioned, and on the other hand, I don't know anything that it can do better. I'm pretty sure that there are some, it's been designed by pretty clever people, and you just said "nothing that solves the same set of problems with a good set of abstractions", and I don't see why I should not believe you.

The point is that in addition to the points you mentioned that I would call catching up with the other systems, I still need to see what sets b2 apart, what really justifies using it instead of the alternatives. I think it would be interesting to describe those abstractions and how they help you on real world environments, with concrete example.

Please, make us dream with b2!

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Loïc
________________________________
De : Boost-build [boost-build-bounces_at_[hidden]] de la part de Rene Rivera [grafikrobot_at_[hidden]]
Envoyé : mardi 27 septembre 2016 02:32
À : Boost.Build developer's and user's list
Objet : [Boost-build] The future of B2?
Recently I've been doing some cmake, yes I said cmake, for work. And this recent experience, and a quick survey of other current build systems, has convinced me that there's still nothing like b2. And by that I mean nothing that solves the same set of problems with a good set of abstractions. Although there are one or two that are moving in our direction. But alas, b2 is not widely used. And I can name many reasons as to why that might be. But I'd rather discuss where I want b2 to be in the future. And hopefully get us moving in a direction that will make b2 widely used.
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