RE: [boost] Re: Re: Re:Re:PlatformNeutrality-withoutreinterpret_c ast<>andifdef

From: Glen Knowles (gknowles_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-08-05 19:45:10

From: William E. Kempf [mailto:williamkempf_at_[hidden]]
> In Eric's defense, the use of #ifdef's in Boost.Threads is generally not
> done to "assist... deficient compiler(s)" but to provide platform specific
> implementations.  His argument is that there are other ways to do the same
> thing with more "clarity", but the problem is that this view is only an
> opinion, and one that was strongly argued against by the majority of the
> Boost membership (at least in regards to this specific library).  I have
> sympathy for his opinion, if not with his presentation and even if I find
> the opinion of the majority to be more compelling.

I'm not sure his suggested implementation was addressed. My understanding is

that he was advocating separate files for the implementations of, at least,
the major operating system "families". This would compile only the files
required for a given platform, with the hope of needing much less #ifdef 
clutter. Not the pimpl idiom, unless you wanted to classify it as a compile
time pimpl. :)

Glen