Re: [boost] [Proto] Reminder: review will end March 28th

From: Eric Niebler (eric_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-03-28 18:16:19

John Phillips wrote:
>    I unfortunately don't have time right now to write the carefully 
> crafted and detailed review that the library deserves. However,
> 
> **I am strongly in favor of including the library in boost.**

Thanks.

<snip>
>    The biggest thing I would like to see is in the realm of 
> documentation. What I would like isn't really appropriate for the 
> library documentation, so I'll add my voice to those who think proto and 
> the techniques it embodies are worthy of a book. 

Whoa. :-)

> Ideally, Eric will be a 
> part of writing this book, but I think it will be a massive undertaking 
> to do it well so I suggest whomever decides to tackle it looks for 
> appropriate co-authors.
> 
>    The book plus library should start with toy examples and build up to 
> a mental framework for how to design DSL's and how to use proto to 
> implement them. There are some other books (such as Dave and Aleksey's 
> MPL book or C. and E.'s Generative Programming) that look at parts of 
> this, but a concrete tool such as proto can be used to structure the 
> discussion and make it more accessible to a larger body of programmers. 
> Without a reference off this sort, I am afraid that 90% of the 
> programming projects that could greatly benefit from this library won't 
> ever use it, and I think the library and the developers who don't yet 
> know what they're missing deserve better.

I actually agree with this sentiment -- most people who could profit 
from Proto won't know about it, or would be put off by its size and 
apparant complexity. But even so, I don't think we're talking about a 
lot of people here -- the market for about book about DSEL's in C++ is 
probably pretty small. Am I wrong to think that?

It might make more sense (and be more fun) to write a series of articles 
or start a blog that explores DSEL design using Proto.

>    Sorry once again that I'm too pressed for time to write a better 
> review. Thanks to Eric for the library and the other reviewers for 
> minding the details I don't have time to mind right now.

Thanks for your feedback.

-- 
Eric Niebler
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com