[boost] [log] Boost.Log formal review

Subject: [boost] [log] Boost.Log formal review
From: Ralf Globisch (rglobisch_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-03-10 18:28:06

Firstly, thanks for the wonderfully written library Andrey.

* Do you think the library should be accepted as a Boost library? Be sure to say this explicitly so that your other comments don't obscure your overall opinion.
Yes, definitely!

The general review checklist is provided below: 
*  What is your evaluation of the design?
Good design and simple enough to use. Highly flexible and not too complex.

* What is your evaluation of the implementation?
Did not consider the implementation. 

* What is your evaluation of the documentation?
Detailed documentation that details rationale, design decisions, tutorials, etc.
AFAIR there was no link to the examples in the documentation, that perhaps 
could be added (if it isn't there already) to make it easier to get started.

* What is your evaluation of the potential usefulness of the library?
A logging library is a necessary debugging tool and is very useful if 
not neccessary in any application. A "standard" (and boost is as close 
to standard as it gets) logging library is long overdue. After searching 
extensively for a suitable logging library, I finally came across this library 
which satisfied all my demands. I had previously implemented my own 
logging library for use in a project which had specific requirements and 
this library met all of them and is far superior. However I should also mention 
that I have only recently compiled and tested the library using the provided 
examples as a quick guide to get going so my experience with the library 
is somewhat limited.

* Did you try to use the library? With what compiler? Did you have any problems?
Briefly, used some of the examples to get started. I would have liked to play with 
the library more but am submitting this review now due to limited time constraints.
- Compilation: Compiled under Windows 7, Visual Studio 2008 without any problems

* How much effort did you put into your evaluation? A glance? A quick reading? In-depth study?
I compiled the library and built a couple of the examples, changed parameters just to get an introductory feel.
By no means an in-depth study. Read through the documentation. For me most importantly, I 
compared the functionality of the log library to the functional requirements of a logging library I wrote
for use in a commercial real time streaming system and this library met all requirements and 
is far more flexible and superior to my own implementation.

* Are you knowledgeable about the problem domain?
Somewhat, I have written my own logging library although nowhere near as extensive as this one.
Also, I am fairly new to boost (started using aspects of boost less than two years ago)
and from reading through this mailing list I still have a lot to learn about c++/design, etc.

From a previous post about the log library:
> FWIW, I consider this library to be
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_logging
> and not the database/filesystem logging stuff,
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Write_ahead_logging 
Agreed. This library allows one to log all application-related information in a simple manner and 
provides an effective debugging tool.

Regards,
Ralf

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