[boost] A more confronting Boost (long)

From: Manfred Doudar (manfred.doudar_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-05-28 01:38:16

All:

I am going to propose a slight change of tack for Boost,
and I may well be shot down for it; but first some context:

<Context>

After a series of language wars and what not at work, and
coming to no resolution quickly (this I should note was well
over a year ago now), I forwarded some proposals in private
to our Consultancy Director, who came back and told me to just
go ahead and act on them (effectively to develop a series of
libs to underpin the next decade of our work); all the while
the geese gaggled over C++, Java, Fortran, Python and almost
anything else (the idea was to consolidate effort; there were
too many languages, and too many specialities inside a small
group).

Needless to say, I coded in C++ and introduced Boost into the
fray.

The case now is that everyone now has their own ideas about
which repository of third party tools are best - none though
have an understanding of Boost, or seriously contemplate to
study what it has to offer - despite now being a fundamental
cornerstone of our future work (I'd like to think that it's
just the natural response to change, I certainly hope it's
nothing more though).

</Context/>

I am beginning to think that people pass over Boost for
one of three reasons: a lack of exposure (be it junior or
senior developers, and line managers with little or no
development background); misplaced perceptions; or absent
cognizance of how Boost can improve the quality and
efficiency of C++ code.

We need to make serious in-roads into Boost's image and
reach into the community, developers and non-developers
alike - something I think a lot of Boosters do seriously
contemplate; I am just hoping to push the discussion beyond
the bicycle shed, so to speak.

As said above, I may be shot down for this proposal, but
here it goes:

  Under the pretext of my argument, I think it would be a
  good idea if Boost had as part of its offical web-site,
  an area where commercial enterprise can list their use of
  Boost in their projects.

It's blatant advertising I know, and much against the grain
of what Boost stands for - we even have policy not to advertise
commercial products in this forum (which I whole heartedly
agree with). 

-Nonetheless we need to find ways, at least in some small
crevice of the Boost web-site to advertise the use of Boost
in industry.  This is a tack clearly aimed at those unfamiliar
with Boost, line managers, and developers alike without Boost
experience can at least associate a product that they use,
and say:

  "... oh, so Boost is behind much of that";

-it inspires confidence for take-up of the work and libraries
here.

It need not be said as a result of the above propsal, Boost
becomes buoyed by perceptions of wider adoption, and commercial
enterprise has another signpost to advertise the quality its
processes by associating itself with Boost.

Lastly, let me note that like everyone else here, I much value
and want to safeguard the collegiate environment that makes up
this group and do not want that to be compramised.  -Please,
let's get the ball rolling, maybe there are other suggestions
far better than the one I've presented, and maybe convincing
arguments against what I am advocating, but again, let's
seriously consider ways to change our image for our greater good.

If you got this far ... thanks for listening.  And if I've
stepped on a few toes, I do apolgize.

Cheers,
-- 
Manfred Doudar
MetOcean Engineers
www.metoceanengineers.com