[boost] Proposal: formal update review

From: Fernando Cacciola (fernando_cacciola_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-05-10 15:09:47

Given the recent "incident" about users complaining about updates to boost 
and the fact that we have a wounderful METHOD that gave us so much respect 
and popularity, I'd like to propose something that's been in my mind for 
quite some time.

The very high quaility of boost libraries is due to the so-called BOOST 
METHOD (I just coined the term, but how I like it :): the managed and 
peer-reviewed acceptance process.
But there is a "hole" in this method, once a library is accepted the 
mantainer can do whatever it pleases with it.
Of course we all assume and expect the maintainer to keep its hight quality, 
but this is a deviation from the basic "peer-reviewing is a requirement" 
principle. If the assumtion here were grounded we could just as well accept 
libraries directly because we trust the good jugdment of the author; but we 
don't, and there lies our "credibility".

I really think is time to come up with a "direct-update" vs "managed-update" 
policy. The policy would define which updates can be directly executed by 
the library mantainer and which need a "formal update rewiew".
Naturally, the formal update review should follow the same rules as the 
formal acceptance review.

At the very least, interface-breaking changes should require a formal update 
review IMO.

What do you all think?

-- 
Fernando Cacciola
SciSoft
http://fcacciola.50webs.com/