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From: Jonathan Turkanis (technews_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-07-04 09:45:39


David Abrahams wrote:
> "Jonathan Turkanis"writes:
>> David Abrahams wrote:
>>> "Jonathan Turkanis" writes:

>>>> if I refer to
>>>> Boost.Build as "the Boost build system," is this a proper name or a
>>>> description? How should it be capitalized?
>>>
>>> I guess the most consistent thing would be to capitalize "Build" and
>>> leave the rest as you have written it.
>>
>> Really? To me it seems a bit odd to treat the works "build" and
>> "system" differently, when they are both components on the term
>> "build system."
>
> The standard for libraries is, e.g. "the Boost Bind library."

I know -- but "bind library" is not a common, generic term.

>> My instinct would have been to use either "Boost Build System" or
>> "Boost build system."
>>
>> When you mention consistency, do you mean consistency with the usage
>> "Boost Xxxx library," in which "Boost" and the library name are
>> capitalized but the word "library" isn't? To me the parallel doesn't
>> seem very strong.
>
> No, not very strong, but it's more consistent. Once you start calling
> the system "Boost.Build," the connection between "build" and "system"
> becomes a lot weaker

How? "Boost.Build" and "the Boost build system" still have different internal
structure, despite the fact that they contain "Boost" and "build" at consecutive
positions.

> and "Boost Build system" seems to make more
> sense.
>
>> At any rate, I don't have a strong preference, and I'm happy to use
>> whatever you think is best.
>
> I don't have a strong preference either; the convention I cited is the
> only one I can come up with rationale for.

My rational is simple: in "Boost build system," Boost is an adjective (a proper
one) and "build system" is a noun modified by the adjective. Capitalizing
"Boost" and "build" but not "system" obscures the structure.

But, again, I don't have a strong preference.

Jonathan


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