[boost] Re: Re: FC++ -- Formal Review Result

From: David B. Held (dheld_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-04-06 02:04:55

"Andy Little" <andy_at_[hidden]> wrote in message
news:c4t3tl$pp7$1_at_sea.gmane.org...
> [...]
> My views are my own and in no way reflect the opinions of the
> boost community at large.

However, your views on this mailing list become a matter of public
record and reflect *on* the Boost community.  When Mr. Marcus
says that Brian posts in a most professional manner, he says as
much by what he doesn't say as by what he does.  That is, we
should all hold ourselves to a high standard of professionalism
here.  Let's leave petty bickering to other fields.

> > I don't really like the way that came out. I believe that quotes
> > like "C++ is not the solution for you" or "Whether anyone has
> > the guts to employ you" don't belong on this list.
>
> C++ is a great language. Functional programming is a great idea.
> Brian MacNamara IMHO is one of the view people that may
> see something beyond either.
>
> I would say that is something akin to a holy grail on boost.

I don't see how that justifies the comment "C++ is not the solution
for you".  What if I said: "the failure to produce a unit/quantities
library that is accepted by a large majority means that C++ is
not the language for this type of problem"?  That hardly seems
justifiable or appropriate.

> Some employers do have 'guts'.  If you dont like the visceral term,
> replace it by  faith, courage, vision, and belief.

It's not a matter of the term being "visceral".  It's a matter of the
implied value judgement you are making.  My "visceral" reaction
to your statement was that you think Brian is out in left field, which
is the only reason it would take "guts", "faith", "courage", "vision"
or "belief" to hire him.  Is that an unfair reading?

> [...]
> The general response of the ' boost community', which purports
> to embrace FP was frankly pathetic throughout the FC++ review.

I think at least part of the problem is due to the problems stated in
the review summary.  FC++ is a large, monolithic library.  Many
people who did not have an immediate use case for it were probably
somewhat intimidated to try it out.  Or maybe they didn't feel they
had the time to devote to reviewing it.  There are any number of
reasons why there was an attenuated response.  That doesn't
mean Boost is uninterested in FP.  I think the presence of Bind,
Lambda, MPL, Spirit, et al indicates a strong interest in and
support of FP (so far as C++ allows it).

> [...]
> However I get the impression, which I stated in the review that
> C++'s place is as an Assembly language for FP. To (try to)
> use FP in C++ expressions is not very productive.... sorry lambda.
> [...]

I get the impression that you haven't done much metaprogramming.

Dave

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