Re: [boost] GNU threading library

From: Jens Maurer (Jens.Maurer_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-08-28 15:50:55

Milutin Jovanovic wrote:
> I have been looking fornew threading resources on the web, and so I came
> accross Common C++ library. It is on the GNU web site.

> I am curious to find out if anybody here finds this interesting...

Hm...

Their goal seems to be a bit different.   A few citations from OVERVIEW.TXT:

>>> There is a large diversity of views in how one should code a C++
>>> framework. 

I believe that boost is doing the right thing in developing libraries,
and not frameworks.  I think that a framework is usually too restricted
to be generally useful.

>>> Since a large number of older C++ compilers remain in everyday
>>> use, I choose to use what I felt was an appropriate set of C++ language
>>> features and practices to provide the greatest compiler compatibility [...]

Aiming for "greatest" compiler compatibility is certainly not the
primary goal of boost.

>>> Finally, in designing Common C++, I assume that class extension
>>> (inheritance) is the primary vehicle for application development.

C++ supports object-oriented programming and inheritance, but it is
a multi-paradigm language and its support for generic programming
(templates etc.) should not be ignored.  I think that focusing on
object-oriented programming takes away too much freedom (usage
possibilities) from a library.

Just looking at their mutex class, I have the impression that we've been
thinking a lot more about requirements and about how to make using a mutex
safe for the programmer (e.g., separate lock class with "magic" destructor).
And this is good.

I am not happy that they mixed in a HTML parser with its tree
representation with all the other more general-purpose classes.

Jens Maurer