Re: [boost] [spirit] Library naming and sub-libraries

Subject: Re: [boost] [spirit] Library naming and sub-libraries
From: Joel de Guzman (joel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-01-03 10:14:23

Andrey Semashev wrote:
> Joel de Guzman wrote:
>> Andrey Semashev wrote:
>>>
>>> No, I wouldn't have to read the docs, if the library had a more 
>>> descriptive name and I was looking for something else. If I'm looking 
>>> for smart pointers and see a Boost.Format library, I immediately know 
>>> that it's not what I'm looking for.
>>
>> Disagree. It just so happens that you have prior knowledge.
>> Without it, Boost.Format can be anything. It can be for formatting
>> hard disks, for all you know. Or perhaps providing different file
>> formats? "Boost.Format" in itself does not convey enough information.
>> A title is too short to convey the intent of a library. You need
>> at least a sentence.
>>
>> "The Boost Format library"
>>
>> Duh, what does that do? Provide cross platform file formats?
>>
>> "The Boost Format library: The format library provides a class
>> for formatting arguments according to a format-string, as does
>> printf, but with two major differences"
>>
>> Ah, format-strings.. ah printing!
> 
> It can be many things, but it definitely isn't a library of smart 
> pointers, is it? On the other hand, Boost.SmartPtr is most likely what 
> I'm looking for - therefore I will put more attention to it (read the 
> docs, for a start).
> 
> Look, I'm not arguing that the library name is everything you need to 
> know about the library. I'm just saying that informative names really do 
> help to find what you need.

How about Boost.Any? For the uninitiated, that could contain smart
pointers. I look at the current names. Only a very few give me
the enough information to know what they are for. What is assign?
What is enable_if? What is parameter? asio? ref? variant? mpl?
units? optional? etc. I wouldn't know by just the names!

If I was looking for a particular library in Boost. I'd look at
the categories. It's a shame that the current web interface lost
this very useful page:

  http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_37_0/libs/libraries.htm#Category

Regards,
-- 
Joel de Guzman
http://www.boostpro.com
http://spirit.sf.net