Re: [boost] [Review] Boost.Convert library has ended

Subject: Re: [boost] [Review] Boost.Convert library has ended
From: Matthew Chambers (matt.chambers42_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-05-03 18:40:03

On 5/3/2011 5:23 PM, Vladimir Batov wrote:
>> Edward Diener<eldiener<at>  tropicsoft.com>  writes:
>> The review period for the Boost.Convert library has officially ended.
>> ...
>
> Edward,
>
> I thought I'd express my opinion on the situation potentially making your
> decision easier. :-) Given the situation I feel the library should be rejected
> (so now you can count my vote as well :-) ). Quite a few people expressed
> negative opinions, criticism from function names to design, reservations or
> conditional acceptance with considerable re-work. Many suggestions have their
> merits in certain contexts and for certain usage patterns. Unfortunately, I feel
> that trying to address those would inevitably be done at the expense of or would
> have a considerable impact on other use-cases equally important to others. Given
> my abilities I do not see how it is possible to satisfy a considerable number of
> conflicting requirements/expectations to everyone's satisfaction.
>
> In that light I do not feel comfortable trying to offer the library which copped
> so much criticism... and will be copping criticism unless re-done to satisfy
> conflicting requirements... which I personally do not see achievable.
>
> Thank you for taking on the hard task of managing the review.
> Thank you everyone who expressed their views and opinions.
> I am throwing in the towel. I am hoping someone tougher and brighter will come
> up with an adequate solution.
>

I'm really sorry to hear this Vladimir. I think you've done a great job trying to juggle conflicting 
use cases and sustaining a great deal of criticism. I can certainly sympathize that at some point 
it's good enough for your own use and that getting criticism for its suitability in use cases you'll 
never need is distressing.

I am thinking that this domain (lexical conversion) would benefit from a working group instead of a 
single developer with comments being constantly fired from outside. There are too many use cases to 
reasonably expect a single person to commit to supporting and defending all of them. The working 
group would be comprised of people with a set union of interests that included all the use cases. It 
could also handle merging boost.convert, lexical_cast, and boost.conversion (if Vincente's willing).

-Matt