Re: RFC: "new_math.zip" 2

From: Hubert HOLIN (Hubert.Holin_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-08-24 06:27:48

Somewhere in the E.U., le 24/08/2001

        Hi

--- In boost_at_y..., darylew_at_m... wrote:
> It's at:
> 
>     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/boost/files/new_math.zip
> 
> It does:
> 
> 1. Adds a forwarding header to the math sublibrary

                I see this a yet one more maintenance hazard. It lessens 
modularity ("I only need sinc, I don't care about atanh..." 
situations). It also can not (should not) replace the actual 
documentation. I fail to see what it gains us. I am not in favor of it.

> 2. Adds a main documentation directory and index.html

                I am neutral about this one. It would have to work with the 
roster one-liner page, though...

> 3. Since I couldn't compile sinc.hpp and sinhc.hpp as is,
>    I converted them to the function-calling-a-functor model.
>    (Hopefully partial specialization of class templates is more
>     widespread than template-based template parameters
>     for function templates.)

                The technique used has merit, but lead IMHO unecessary code 
duplication and lessening of modularity. As I understand, this is a 
work-around for a compiler deficiency. What I would rater do, as I do 
not forsee that use of sinc on octonions to be in *such* great demand 
;-) , is conditionalize the test to exclude it for that particular 
version of the compiler. At any rate, that's what I am doing (among 
other things) for Gcc and the Comeau in the update I am working on at 
the moment.

> 4. Adjusted docs for special functions to match
>    (and rediscovered why I don't like HTML editors).
> 5. Fixed up the quaternion-rotation example

                I did not find the fixed file. What was the problem?

> It differs from version 1 in that it's made after the Boost 1.24.0 
> release.
> 
> I still have to fix up the HTML some more.
> 
> Questions:
> 
> 1. Does it work at least for the platforms previous versions did?
> 2. Does it work for new configurations (besides mine)?
> 3. Should these changes be incorporated?

                I believe these changes should not be incorporated.

> Daryle Walker
> [posting through web interface]

        Thanks for the comments

                        Hubert Holin
                        Hubert.Holin_at_[hidden]