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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


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