Re: [boost] Why use Boost?

From: Matt Doyle (mdoyle_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-02-02 17:39:05

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden]
> [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]]On Behalf Of David Abrahams
> "Matt Doyle" <mdoyle_at_[hidden]> writes:
> 
> > 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.
> 
> What would you propose as a better system?
Well, I don't know if there is a silver bullet. I guess I would propose a section that could become a repository of "real life" examples. Not too far from the "who's using Boost" idea, have an area where users can upload examples of problems they had that Boost helped them solve. It would also serve Nigel's idea of a Boost cookbook. A solution center where people can come looking for ideas.

Now I hear the question - how is digging through a solution repository better than digging through the docs? Human nature perhaps? As likely as not finding and implementing the right tool for the job is going to take changing your pre-conceived approach to some degree. If your pre-conceived approach is that problem must be solved using method A then it's unlikely you look at the correct one (B). But, now if you see a problem the look just like yours, and it's being solved with method B, not A, then the pre-conceived notions (hopefully :) go out the window.

How's something along those lines sound?
   
> 
> > Even then there's no guarantee that you'll find "the right
> > thing". Would I have found explicit cast this way?  Nope.
> 
> Maybe because there is no boost::explicit_cast?
oops, it obviously s/b implicit. My fingers don't always know what my brain is thinking :/

 

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