Re: [boost] New boost user

From: Beman Dawes (beman_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-10-19 11:16:19

Jeff Squyres wrote:

 >> > [README stuff]
 >>
 >> I think we should stick to HTML as our documentation format.  If we
 >> add a readme file, it should be totally static and just point people
 >> to the HTML.  The HTML should already include all of the information
 >> you mention above.  A readme file which has to change each
 >> distribution will be a maintenance headache.  We certainly could add a
 >> readme file that says:
 >>
 >> "For access to all documentation, view index.htm in this directory
 >> with a web browser program such as Netscape Navigator or Internet
 >> Explorer."
 >
 >Sounds good -- a short README file with a pointer to the HTML docs would
 >be great.
 >
 >Can we add a bit more, though?  Some hints/guidence about how to 
build/use
 >boost?  Or even the directory layout (which isn't likely to change often,
 >so it won't require too much maintenance), or something?  i.e., we don't
 >quite want to tackle building boost yet (i.e., the whole
 >building-a-C++-library portability issue), but *some* guidence --
 >particularly for new users -- would be good.

I've added a README file, and updated the libraries page with some very 
preliminary and incomplete installation instructions.  A start, at least.

 >
 >>  >- A brief LICENSE file.
 > ...

Nothing yet, but I've added an item to my do list.

 > ... directory naming comments ...

 > ... in terms of tooling around in the
 >directories while trolling through the source, I think it is still
 >important to have standardized directory/file names to make things easy 
to
 >find.  The Law of Least Astonishment applies here; using well-known
 >standardized named would help new boost users, particularly since there 
is
 >not likely to be any kind of build system in boost any time soon.

Well, if we get started on a build system this winter, that is "soon" 
enough for me not to want to make changes now.

Also, I suspect the what you think of as [de facto] "standardized 
directory/file names" are only well-know in some communities.  One of the 
things the C++ committee taught me was how very non-standard a lot of 
things are that I used to think were de-facto standards.  And how many 
things others thought were de-factor standards that I had never even heard 
of.  It is a big world out there!

--Beman