Re: [boost] Why use Boost?

From: Matt Doyle (mdoyle_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-02-02 11:32:30

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden]
> [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]]On Behalf Of David Maisonave
> "Paul Giaccone" <paulg_at_[hidden]> wrote in message
> news:<43E1D46C.7000500_at_[hidden]>...
> > There is a thread on the Boost-users mailing list at the 
<snip>
> IMHO, the help documents waist too much space in giving details that
> really don't help the average user to figure out how to use an
> interface. 
> Take intrusive_pr document for an example:
> http://www.boost.org/libs/smart_ptr/intrusive_ptr.html
> 
> There's no example usage at all.
> It waist a lot of space giving details Synopsis and Members, but very
> little space for an introduction, or a good explanation on how to use
> it.

I agree with you on this but I'd like to take it a step further. A potential new user needs a way to find out what exactly is in boost. Right now if I want to solve a particular problem and I don't know which library to use, I basically have to drill down through the list and read the overview for each one. Even then there's no guarantee that you'll find "the right thing". Would I have found explicit cast this way? Nope. What if I want to pass messages between processes, which is the best library... 

I don't really know how to make it easier for a person to find just the right library but IMHO a new user considering Boost doesn't need to be "sold". They have a problem they need to solve. Once you have solved _1_ problem then that person is sold, no more marketing required.

My $0.02 worth,
        Matt

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