Re: [boost] [1.35.0] Release criteria compilers

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-10-16 15:04:54

on Sun Oct 07 2007, Edward Diener <eldiener-AT-tropicsoft.com> wrote:

> Jeff Garland wrote:
>> Gennadiy Rozental wrote:
>> 
>>> I must say I feel very similar.
>>>
>>> I believe Bemans approach is way too pessimistic. And kinda deminishing to the 
>>> configuration he has no direct access to ;) How VC 8.0 failure is more 
>>> critical than let's say gcc on sparc solaris? Assuming that both have similar 
>>> tester resources. 
>> 
>> They haven't typically had similar resources.  We've usually had 2-3 VC 
>> 8 testers and maybe one gcc on solaris.
>> 
>>> What I beliee we need is more objective criteria for what is "release 
>>> compiler". Specific requirements to number of testers and testing turnaround 
>>> time comes to mind.
>> 
>> Instead of getting bogged down in trying to define requirements, I think 
>> we should simply agree on a the 'primary platform list' (essentially 
>> what Beman is doing).  Don't think of this list as release compilers, 
>> just a good cross section of the platforms that provide a) good testing 
>> support and b) high standards compliance -- thus minimizing the typical 
>> hackery needed to port to this compiler. Again, no compiler/platform is 
>> being excluded from testing and we want library authors and people with 
>> an interest in a platform to continue to port at their discretion -- but 
>> I hope by now we'd all agree that bugging authors of new libs to port to 
>> VC6 and holding the release is a bad policy because it harms more users 
>> than it helps.
>
>  From an end user's perspective I think it is really important, for a 
> given release and library of Boost, to know whether or not a particular 
> compiler is supposed to work for a particular library. The regression 
> tests do not, unfortunately, always give the end user that
> information. 

I agree with Edward that that information is crucial and currently
lacking.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
http://www.boost-consulting.com