Re: [boost] Attention Boosters

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-12-13 15:34:13

Tobias Schwinger <tschwinger_at_[hidden]> writes:

>>>2. Get Boost
>>>============
>>>
>>>1.2.3... 4. checkout a branch from the CVS?
>> 
>> 
>> Why should I give that as an option?  
>
> There are two possible reasons that might or might not matter to you:
>
> - critical bug fixes can be deployed easily
> - if users fix bugs they can easily create a patch and send us

I don't want to encourage people to use an un-released snapshot of
Boost in the **getting started** guide.  Other options can be
discussed elsewhere.

>>>maybe an exemplary compiler invocation works better ("I enter
>>>-I... and nothing happens").
>> 
>> 
>> Do you really think people will copy that line into their shell
>> without even reading the sentence that surrounds it?  
>
> Well, I wouldn't bet on people won't, at least...
>
> People unfamiliar with a command might not know what "adding to the
> command line" exactly means.
>
>> If I give an
>> example invocation that will be wrong for some people too:
>> 
>>   I type "c++ -Ic:\boost" and it tells me: "c++: command not found."
>> 
>> I'd rather not be specific if it makes me wrong.
>
> Still, a concrete example that is "wrong" for most people is often better than hard-to-get abstract wisdom that applies everywhere...

Sorry, I just disagree that it will help overall.

>>>    "Even Windows users can use forward slashes in #include
>>>    directives; your compiler doesn't care".
>>>
>>>The recommendation to use forward slashes should be either stronger or left out.
>> 
>> 
>> Why?
>
> "Ah, interesting - I'm developing for Windows - so I'll use
> backslashes for consistency with my OS' file system... Didn't know
> that would work, before..."

You're welcome to make that choice.

>> It's not a recommendation.  It's a note designed to de-confuse windows
>> users who use the sample code in the tutorial.  I don't mean to
>> evangelize the use of forward slashes, so I don't want to strengthen
>> it.  
>
> Why not? 

Because style evangelism is out-of-place and off-purpose in this
document.

> There is only one right and portable way

That sort of position is anathema to me.  In some environments,
portability counts for nothing and looking familiar to other Windows
programmers counts for everything.

>> I don't want to leave it out because people will be confused.
>
> and it isn't clear which one it is. 

I can't tell what you're referring to here.

> It might add more confusion than it resolves, elsewhere.

Sorry, I have no idea what you mean.

>> I'm thinking that maybe MacOS programmers who don't know how to use
>> a shell are not a big enough audience to warrant lengthening the
>> tutorial document.
>> 
>
> Isn't there some external document that could be linked to for the
> "cd/ls tutorial"?

That would be great.  If you could find me a good and stable link I'd
be grateful.  Likewise for Windows, for that matter.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com