[boost] Re: algorithms namespace

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-02-21 17:50:04

I've followed this discussion for a while hoping it would just go away.
Well I can't stand it any more - here's my  2 cents.

Keeping names in my head is a big problem.  So I don't like making any more
names than necessary.  I'm not crazy about abbreviations either - it's one
more thing to remember.  Of course if its one or two it wouldn't be a big
deal but once it starts it tends to spread.

I do like analogies:

STL -> RTL -> VTL -> MPL

Help me remember things. I'm aware this is probably not the motivation of
the authors but none the less it helps me remember.

In a short context ( within a code file ) if I get tired of typing,  I will
use a LOCAL alias e.g. 

Using namespace fs = boost::filesystem - or whatever the correct syntax is.

But a global one - used everywhere is one more thing I have to remember
everywhere.  It's a bad idea. It's the same problem as global variables - as
boost gets bigger I can't keep it all in my head at once.

I don't like to do a lot of work for almost no good purpose - changing mpl
to meta through a lot of already written code would be a huge waste of time
at best and a big pain at worst - does anyone know for a fact that meta
wouldn't clash with something? Is it even worth the time to check?

The following two are important to me also - though I don't know whether
anyone has proposed that they be abandoned.

I much like the current practice of having the namespace hierarchy parallel
the file directory hierarchy.  This should be maintained at all costs.  Its
just another waste of global brain capacity to try to maintain two such
hierarchies in ones head.

I think its very valuable that one library/maintainer correspond to a
namespace.

In short, I don't think any changes in this area would be anything but
detrimental.

Robert Ramey