Re: [boost] Silly Boost.Locale default narrow string encoding in Windows

Subject: Re: [boost] Silly Boost.Locale default narrow string encoding in Windows
From: Artyom Beilis (artyomtnk_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-10-27 13:06:45

> 
> then it fails to work when the literal string is replaced
> with a `main` argument.
> 
> A conversion is then necessary and must be added.
> 
> It breaks the principle of least surprise.
> 
> It breaks the principle of not paying for what you don't
> (want to) use.
> 

Did you read this?

http://beta.boost.org/doc/libs/1_48_0_beta1/libs/locale/doc/html/default_encoding_under_windows.html

You can **easily** switch to ANSI as default...

But you don't want to (rather switch to UTF-16 or UTF-8)
especially when you actually use localization... :-)

> I understand, from discussions elsewhere, that the
> author(s) have chosen a narrow string encoding that requires
> inefficient & awkward conversions in all directions, for
> political/religious reasons.

No you hadn't read rationale correctly and didn't read 
what is written in the link I had given.

If you write "Windows only" software you should either
set Ansi option to use native encoding - UTF-16.

If not stick to cross platform UTF-8.

> Maybe my understanding of that
> is faulty, that it's no longer politics & religion but
> outright war (and maybe that war is even over, with even
> Luke Skywalker dead or deadly wounded). However, I still
> ask:
> 
> why FORCE INEFFICIENCY & AWKWARDNESS on Boost
> users  --  why not just do it right, using the
> platforms' native encodings.
> 

Windows native encoding is not ANSI. It is Wide/UTF-16 encoding.

-----------------------------------------------------

If you still not convinced, using UTF-8 by default was one
of important pluses this library brings and it was noticed
by many reviewers.

Artyom