[boost] questions and comment about optional

From: Stephen Lamb (stevel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-02-21 17:29:58

I'm not absolutely sure I have the latest class optional but here goes.

Why does optional not have an assignment operator which takes a value?

Why is the following constructor explicit?
    template<class U>
    explicit optional ( optional<U> const& rhs )

I would think that this would actually be a case where implicit copy
construction would be welcomed.

The version of optional I have implements operators -> and * in terms of
the get function.  The get function has a conditional that is
unnecessary extra work for -> and *.  I think that -> and * should
either be implemented in terms of a function that doesn't have a
conditional in it or should be implemented in place.