Re: [boost] Review Request: Statistical Distributions and Mathematical Special Functions

From: Paul A Bristow (pbristow_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-01-08 12:33:13

>-----Original Message-----
>From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden] 
>[mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Markus Werle
>Sent: 08 January 2007 16:31
>To: boost_at_[hidden]
>Subject: Re: [boost]Review Request: Statistical Distributions 
>and Mathematical Special Functions
>
>John Maddock <john <at> johnmaddock.co.uk> writes:
>
>> The "Math Toolkit" has now matured to the point where Paul 
>Bristow and I would like to ask for a formal review.
>
>Some comments before the review begins (If you allow):

Comments are very welcome now - many of the more minor matters can be resolved before they confuse the review.

>Also I dislike: "The definition used here is that used by 
>Wolfram MathWorld"
>since by this the docs are neither self-contained nor robust against
>some idiot buying and shutting down the cited sites. I am 
>sure, even wikipedia
>will vanish some day due to some more internet restrictions 
>evolved from the 
>pseudo-war against terror (alias war against freedom) or some 
>idiot holding a
>software patent affecting the whole community. 

I think you are being rather pessimistic here - if these sites go, Boost could too :-((

However we have also included some references to books and academic journals as well,
but the overall size (nearly 2 Mbyte & over 250 pages in pdf already, from 25 Mbyte of Quickbook sources!) is also an issue. Not to
mention the work in producing the documentation ;-)  So I hope we have struck a reasonable balance here.

>What I also dislike is the existence of default typedefs for double 
>(students_t et al.). This is unnecessary and makes double a 
>special type which it is not.

Well I think that double IS special - because over 95% of users will be just using double throughout.  So we have tried to make it
easier and less verbose to use double by providing the typedefs.  It seems a reasonable compromise to me.

Paul

PS I am sure John will also comment on other items.

---
Paul A Bristow
Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal, Cumbria UK LA8 8AB
[phone] & SMS, Mobile [phone] & SMS
pbristow_at_[hidden]