[boost] MPL documentation

From: Edward Diener (eddielee_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-11-20 17:17:29

The MPL documentation is better than before and the reference is excellent.
However I do not believe the tutorial is adequate for bringing new
programmers interested in understanding metaprogramming using MPL into a
general understanding of how MPL works and how to use it. This is because
the tutorial does not start at the beginning of defining MPL concepts but
jumps into high order metafunctions without explaining the basis of
metafunctions or metaprogramming classes to begin with.

I understand the problem, that metaprogramming is a large concept and that
understanding the basics would entail starting at a point where explaining
anything further takes up much more space than a mere tutorial would
normally encompass. The answer no doubt is to buy Mr. Abrahams and Mr.
Gurtovoy's book. However despite the good intent of the tutorial, I think
that it only performs the function of bringing further knowledge of the MPL
library to those who already understand how the basics of the library
already work. For those C++ programmers who want to learn to understand how
to use the MPL library from scratch, I do not think the tutorial is
adequate. Perhaps MPL was never meant to appeal to those without a knowledge
of its precepts to begin with, but by assuming that I think that the
tutorial will either leave C++ programmers who would like to learn to use
MPL feeling pretty cold about it, or force them to buy the book in order to
understand how it works.