[boost] BOOST and C++ Report: A call for papers...

From: Herb Sutter (hsutter_at_[hidden])
Date: 1999-12-07 11:25:25

Hi BOOSTers,

This email is in the form of an announcement and a request. First, the
background: Bob Martin has graciously asked me to replace him as editor-in-chief
of C++ Report, and as of C++ World last week this has been announced publicly.
Bob will finish the March issue, and I will begin with the April issue. There
will be some visible changes at C++ Report, principally to focus the content
much more strongly on "hard-core C++" including things like using and extending
the standard library, templates, "wouldn't-it-be-nice-if" contemplation of
possible future features and how to emulate them today, and the usual stream of
nifty techniques and well-known columnists. Effective immediately, C++ Report
will also be going monthly -- 12 issues per year, not 10. That means there's
more room for quality content.

This brings me to the point: In particular, I would like to see a *lot* of
BOOST-related content. If I can find enough interest (i.e., enough papers), I
want to set up a regular BOOST department. For those of you who were at the C++
standards meeting in Kona a few weeks ago, and attended the BOOST
hash_set/hash_map meeting on Monday night, the things I said then probably make
more sense now that this is public knowledge. In particular, I took the
opportunity then to urge BOOST members to write about the stuff they're doing in
BOOST and to publish it in magazines, specifically in C++ Report. There's nifty
and useful and important stuff being done here, users want to know about it, and
the people who work on it deserve public credit.

I'm open to your suggestions, but let me point out that I have in mind two kinds
of papers: One kind of article would be written specifically by the designer of
a class or other facility to give the reader the chance to "see things through
the designer's eyes" as the designer discusses requirements, goals, tradeoffs,
and alternatives going through their mind as they were in the throes of
creation, and ultimately why they crafted things the way they did. The other
kind of article would be written from the point of view of a user (possibly
about some of the same facilities also covered in "designer's eyes" articles),
to give motivating examples for why the facility is useful, what problems it
solves, why it's better than manual alternatives, and how to use it.

I had the privilege of delivering the closing keynote at C++ World last week,
and I took the opportunity to publicize what the committee and BOOST in
particular are doing. If you've had some new members join over the weekend,
that's probably why. This BOOST team is doing lots of nifty things, not least of
which is building "existing practice" for the next round of standardization --
whether that next round happens to begin one year from now or four years from
now. I want to use my editorial position to publicize BOOST in particular in
order to promote what this group is doing.

Please give this some thought through conversation here within BOOST to decide
how you feel about this; I'd be happy to take article suggestions individually
the usual way, but perhaps if you're excited enough about this you may decide to
organize this within the group(e.g., "Andy, how about you write about that bit
you did, and Betty, how about you cover this one over here"), perhaps with some
sort of internal informal editorial team. Whatever suits you.

Your feedback on these ideas is appreciated; please don't be shy (as if this
group would be shy!). :-) If you think this is a terrible idea, that's cool; let
me know why. If you can think of better ways to approach it, and I'm sure they
exist, that's great; tell me about them. You'll find me to be responsive to your
ideas on how best to approach and implement this vehicle, because you guys
probably know best exactly what needs to be covered and how best to approach it.
I just want to offer you an existing and respected press to deliver your
message. Let me know how I can best wield this weapon to support you and tell
readers why they should indeed care about what BOOST is doing today and
tomorrow.

BTW, although my editorship is official now, I'd appreciate it if you'd please
hold off mentioning this on the newsgroups for a few days until SIGS/101 has a
chance to post their announcement about this. That should happen later this
week.

Thanks, guys!

Herb

---
Herb Sutter (mailto:hsutter_at_[hidden])
CTO, PeerDirect Inc.                       (http://www.peerdirect.com)
Head of Delegation (Canada), ISO SC22/WG21 (ISO C++ standards committee)
Editor-in-Chief, C++ Report                (http://www.creport.com)
Moderator, comp.lang.c++.moderated         (news:comp.lang.c++.moderated)