RE: [boost] Re: Customer Friendlier Boost Installation

From: Brian Braatz (brianb_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-05-28 12:56:50

> -----Original Message-----
> On Behalf Of Reece Dunn
> Brian Braatz wrote:
> > > Paul A Bristow a écrit :
> > > * Finally, installing boost takes longer than installing VC++... Is
> > > building from the source such an important point ? Would'nt it be
> > > possible to provide pre-built libraries for the 3 or 4 main compilers
> on
> > > windows with each release ? The whole package, zipped, is 80mb on my
> >VC8.
> >[Brian Braatz Writes:]
> >Thank you for also suggesting that.
> 
> Why not make it configurable as part of the install:
> 
> [0]  Dependancies: check for Python, cygwin, xsltproc, doxygen, etc.
> allowing the user to configure these ("I have Python installed here...").
> [1]  Get Boost from... [local directory, boost-consulting, sourceforge,
> CVS
> (requires a CVS client), ...]
> [2]  Select the compilers/versions I want to use Boost on (auto-detected
> and
> configurable list -- add compilers/versions not on the list, select "(do
> not) support"
> [3]  Select which parts of Boost the user whats to install/build
> [4]  Tools: get prebuilt version of bjam/wave/quickbook or build from
> distribution (with compiler...)
> [5]  List prebuild libraries so I can select the compilers/versions I want
> to support
> [6]  Build libraries for the compilers/versions I want to support (that I
> haven't downloaded prebuild versions for)
> 

[Brian Braatz Writes:] 
Yes that sounds good. The key is to REDUCE the barrier to entry. Especially #5, I know that is work to make it happen, But I believe this to be a major step in spreading boost.