Re: [boost] boost organization and installation

From: Noel Yap (yap_noel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-05-02 16:41:41

--- "William E. Kempf" <williamkempf_at_[hidden]>
wrote:
> Some opinions about what's needed for distribution
> which isn't directly
> covered in the archive (what's there is what's
> required for developers, and
> a distribution system can't interfere with those
> needs):
> 
> * Requirements for additional tools/technologies
> (such as perl) need to be
> kept to a minimum, and should usually be restricted
> to things you can
> reasonably expect the user to have.

Might I suggest sticking with Jam (since it works)
until the packages are separated?

> * To meet the above requirement there may well need
> to be multiple
> distribution mechanisms for various platforms.  For
> instance, on *nix
> platforms AAM would work nicely, but on the Windows
> platform you should
> instead provide MSI packages.  (Note, I'm not
> endorsing either technology as
> the "right" solution, only pointing out that at
> least these solutions are
> based on technologies that are almost assuredly
> already present on the
> specific platforms).

Assuming we're going to support multiple build/install
mechanisms, I agree.

> * Breaking out Boost into multiple installation
> packages may be beneficial,
> but you have to do so in a manner that doesn't
> require significant changes
> to the current Boost structure or prevents the
> normal distribution that
> developers use today.  This means there may be a
> need for a seperate CVS
> repository for release distributions... or it may
> not, time will tell.

A conversion script may come in handy here.  This way,
what the developers see and what the users see are
different.

> * There has to be an "owner" of any distribution
> mechanism... someone that
> will maintain the scripts/etc. as Boost evolves. 
> This person(s) will have
> to work with the developers, but it's important that
> the needs of
> distribution don't stand in the way of the
> developers.  What this means is
> that the developers should never have to touch any
> scripts required to
> handle the distribution.

Considering the goals of the project, I agree.

> So, before any effort gets underway I'd hope that we
> could pinpoint at least
> a few people interested in volunteering with this
> effort, and then to
> establish an online community for designing and
> implementing the solution.
> If I get a few dedicated volunteers I'll take on the
> responsibility of
> setting up this community, and will help with
> coordinating the efforts of
> both the distribution and the developer communities.
>  Beyond that, however,
> I don't have the expertise necessary for developing
> a solution here, just to
> be clear on what I'm volunteering to do.

I'd like to contribute in this effort.

Noel

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