Re: [boost] Should we provide hot fixes?

From: Jonathan Biggar (jon_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-08-26 22:24:13

David Abrahams wrote:
> on Tue Aug 26 2008, Christian Larsen <contact-AT-dword.dk> wrote:
> 
>> Yes, that's right. But still I don't see how that would make it
>> possible to keep a stable interface, and make point releases of
>> that. Unless all developers agree to only merge non-interface breaking
>> changes into "ReleaseReady". 
> 
> People who want point releases aren't just asking for what we _think_
> will be "no interface-breaking changes," because the best we can do is
> guess.  Who knows what the effects will actually be on their platform in
> their environment?  They're asking for the release, exactly as it was,
> plus bugfixes.  That's it.  No new features, no new libraries, period.

As a long time user of boost, I agree, almost 100%. :)

99.9% of the time, a point fix should make no interface change. 
Unfortunately, there is that .1% where the only way to fix a bug is to 
change the interface.

So we ought to discourage header file changes in point releases unless 
it is demonstrated that either it is backwards compatible or else 
there's no other way to fix the bug.

-- 
Jon Biggar
Floorboard Software
jon_at_[hidden]
jon_at_[hidden]