Re: [boost] [locale] Formal review of Boost.Locale library -- final days

Subject: Re: [boost] [locale] Formal review of Boost.Locale library -- final days
From: Artyom (artyomtnk_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-04-22 07:56:25

> From: Gordon Woodhull <gordon_at_[hidden]>
> On Apr 22, 2011, at 4:07 AM, Henrik Sundberg <storangen_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> >  On Fri, Apr 22, 2011 at 9:42 AM, Gordon Woodhull <gordon_at_[hidden]> 
>wrote:
> >> On Apr 22, 2011, at 2:00 AM, Vicente BOTET <vicente.botet_at_[hidden]>  
>wrote:
> >>> I don't like the OO design. I think that  a more generic approach could be 

> >>> applied to this domain, and add a dynamic  approach in top of the static 
>one.
> >> ...
> >>> The library  should be redesigned with a generic approach and the
> >>> interfaces be more user  friendly and safe.
> >>> I know the author is against the generic approach
> >>> so I don't  expect he will change later on if the library is accepted.
> >> 
> >> +1
> >> 
> >> Sorry, no review this time, just an  opinion from following discussion and 
>reading the rationale.
> >> 
> >> Looks like a useful library but I think it could take another  revision.
> >> Again, apologies for no real review.  & thanks to Artyom and  Chad.
> > 
> > Does this mean that you prefer to have no locale library  instead of
> > this one in Boost?
> 
> No, I mean I would like to see  Artyom try to address some of the design 
>concerns and try again. 
>
> 

The OO design is central part of Boost.Locale, there
are way-many reasons behind - mostly too keep as much freedom
as possible in implementation of local culture requirements.

This isn't going to be changed in future revisions.

I would likely add some streaming interface where it is needed,
I can reasonably improve some other interfaces but this
would not be "generic" programming library as it can't
be.

It is not because I don't like templates or I don't see
some things. It just does not fit this library needs
and patterns.

So this would not be changed. Boost.Locale is object
oriented library and will remain so whether it will
be part of boost or it will be release as independent
library outside boost's namespace.

> > Artyom likes his design better (as  I understand it). He's probably not
> > the one to write the library you  want.
> 
> Almost everyone likes their own design better,
> but the best authors  are willing to consider
> new ideas. Artyom seems to have a good attitude
> about  the smaller issues and I hope he'll think
> about the big picture too, whether or  not the
> library's accepted.

I do consider valuable inputs I had received and many
of them will be included. However the big picture
will not change because.

If somebody thinks that it is possible
to implement useful localization
library using non-OOP design, he is welcome to
write his own. Then after learning the
localization topics, libraries and APIs
much deeper he would likely see the bigger
picture and understand the rationale behind
the design decisions I had done.

It may be not obvious for some, but not
everything in C++ should be done via
generic programming.

(BTW I really can't believe that I hear that
something is too object oriented...)

> > Boost accepts different libraries  solving the same problem. Isn't this
> > library good enough to be such  alternative?
> 
> > Especially since there is
> > no other alternative  at all for the moment (or in the foreseeable
> > future).
> 
> I  sympathize with what you're saying, but I think it's
> worthwhile to put libraries  through multiple reviews
> if there's a chance of getting a much better designed
> library in the process. Cf. Xint, Process.
> 

It really depends on what reviewers ask. If I think
that the request wouldn't do any good to the library
it would be rejected with proper rationale.

Best Regards,
  Artyom