Re: [boost] [OT] Open Source Forking and Boost (was Re: [SQL-Connectivity] Is Boost interested in CppDB?)

Subject: Re: [boost] [OT] Open Source Forking and Boost (was Re: [SQL-Connectivity] Is Boost interested in CppDB?)
From: John Maddock (boost.regex_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-12-16 11:42:16

> Interesting. So if I wanted to get SVN access and start working on
> things in a private branch on the Boost SVN repository (for example,
> to address a specific set of issues against a library Boost.X) and
> then ask for a code review of the patch I'm potentially going to merge
> to trunk at some point later, there's a process to do that?

It depends - if the library has an active maintainer, then yes, you just ask 
the maintainer or file a ticket - in that case the easier you can make it 
for him/her to review the changes the better your chances of getting it 
through quickly.  Otherwise what tends to happen, is some other interested 
library author, or bug-sprint member, will take on the responsibility for 
shepherding those changes through.

I accept that there may be an issue with there not being enough folks for 
the above to work all that well though.  The basic problem is that to 
maintain quality we've generally required all library maintainers to already 
have one accepted Boost library, so I guess the question we're struggling 
with is how to broaden the field without risking screwing things up too 
badly :-0

Thinking out loud here... one option might be for someone to say "I'm going 
to try and give library X a decent update" and solicit the mailing list for 
bug/feature requests, then carry out the work in the sandbox and ask for a 
mini-review - at which point you're sort of lumbered with being the new 
maintainer ;-)

HTH, John.