Re: [boost] [Review] Fixed strings library

From: Hartmut Kaiser (hartmut.kaiser_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-02-06 11:26:40

Andy Little wrote:

> > The main points listed during review were:
> > - Do we need a fixed_string library at all, is it worth the 
> overhead?
> > - Insufficient/confusing documentation  . insufficient 
> description of 
> > general design, design rationales and motivations  . it says more 
> > about implementation details rather then the public interface  . 
> > missing or insufficient documentation of parts of the library
> > - The overall architecture of the implementation is too complicated 
> > and needs to be reworked
> > - Missing interface for construction/interaction with std::string's
> > - Unclear benefit to have the strings truncated to avoid overflows
> > - Missing performance comparison with std::string and other 
> > alternatives
> > - Compilation problems with the library as submitted for review
> 
> I'm wondering if this doesnt bring up a point regarding this 
> review. In hindsight was fixed_strings ready for review?
> 
> http://www.boost.org/more/formal_review_process.htm#Review_Manager
> 
> In hindsight ,which is a wonderful thing, shouldnt review 
> manager have stopped fixed_strings review? Can review  manger 
> stop a review?
> 
> I say this not to criticise Hartmut( I hope that experience 
> as review manager will mean he will be interested to do the 
> job again), but to enhance the character of the review 
> managers role and point up this case as one example of what 
> pitfalls  review manager should look out for when thinking 
> about future review requests.

Frankly, I was thinking about not to start the review for this library. And
from todays point of view I shouldn't have done so. It's a learning curve
for me as well and I certainly will be more proactive in this direction in
the future. 

In the end I decided to start the review regardless of the problems because
I thought (and I still think) it's worth to have discussions about the kind
of paradigm the Fixed Strings library represents and even if we had these
concrete problems we also have had some very interesting and clearifying
discussions on this topic.

Regards Hartmut