RE: [boost] Review: Config system

From: Aleksey Gurtovoy (alexy_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-08-31 17:28:47

Jens Maurer wrote:
> On a different topic discussed here, unknown compiler versions
> should be assumed to be fully compliant.  If they aren't,
> people will complain here, and we will know thusly that a new
> version of some compiler has appeared and we can make appropriate
> corrections.

Being a real-world _user_ of boost (as opposite to a developer) I strongly
disagree. Using of boost libraries in your project is supposed to help you
in your every-day professional life, not to make it harder. Switching to a
new version of the compiler and getting _your own_ code to compile and work
is painful enough without being forced to deal with a sudden break of 3rd
party libraries' code, even (and especially) if one these libraries is
"boost". Although fortunately it's not a case for our team, I know that many
people in other companies have invested a considerable amount of efforts to
get their managers to allow them to use boost libraries in the production
code, (validly) promising that it will boost (NPI) their productivity. I
don't think that the "people will complain and we'll fix it" attitude is
something that these users would appreciate ("What??! You said it'll take 1
day, and it already took 3!! Some boost libraries don't compile, and you
have no idea why, and you're waiting till they will fix it?? I knew that the
whole idea of using this open-source stuff in production code won't lead to
anything better than this!.."), and I think we should care about our users.
In most real-world situations "optimistic" config scheme will force you to
deal with the whole "boost config" issue right away, as if it was the most
important thing in porting your project, and certainly it isn't. And suppose
that a new version of the compiler is indeed fully complaint and you'd get
the whole world of a new boost libraries' functionality available to you.
Does it solve any of your today's porting problems? No! Could it solve any
of your tomorrow (post-porting) problems? Not likely. Could it help you to
solve the problems you'll be approaching in a week - may be, but personally
I will be much more willing to spend time on the issue when _I_, a user,
decide to do it, not somebody else.

Aleksey