[boost] Re: Boost header guidelines

From: Moore, Paul (Paul.Moore_at_[hidden])
Date: 1999-10-04 04:14:22

From: John Maddock [mailto:John_Maddock_at_[hidden]]
> Ok here are the problems that come to mind:
> 
> <memory>
> 
> std::allocator is non standard - there is no Rebind<U> nested template
> class - either we have to allocate "chunks" of sizeof(T), and 

Yuk. I hadn't realised that.

> 
> <iterator>
> 
> There are no partial template specialisations allowed in VC6, so
> iterator_traits<> fails for built in types (pointers), this 
> makes some code

Again yuk. 

> 
> <locale>
> 
> Calling functions with explicit template args is not supported, so
> use_facet and has_facet are non-standard. Another maco anyone?

??!?!?!?!?! I was *sure* I'd used this in MSVC 6, and found it to work. But
you're right, it doesn't. OK, I give up. MSVC is utterly broken, even in
version 6.

> MSVC can't deal with template function partial ordering - making some
> useful algorithm overloads impossible - requires another macro
> BOOST_NO_PARTIAL_ORDERING.

[Too late, I'd already given up :-)]

> My reasoning is that if I'm going to do a rewrite as part of a wider
> pattern-matching stategy (as I'm planning), I may as well see how few
> macros I can get away with in the short term, in the knowledge that
> by the time the project is complete, VC7 will probably be out and about,
> and gcc will have acquired <locale> support.

Sadly, MSVC is and will remain a very widely used platform. Pressure to
conform to the standard needs to remain high. Raising awareness of these
issues is also important (I didn't know about them...) Does/can anybody do a
regular posting, say to comp.lang.c++, and microsoft.public.whatever.vc++
listing the currently know set of non-conformances?

BTW, from rumours I hear, MSVC 7 seems to be targetted at adding
non-standard "improvements" to the language, rather than working on
conformance. "Embrace and extend", again?

Also, even if MSVC 7 is better conforming, the upgrade price will be high,
so many people will stay on MSVC 6 for some time. Possibly including me :-(

Now I'm really depressed...

Paul.