Re: [boost] [TypeErasure] Forward constructors and binded types

Subject: Re: [boost] [TypeErasure] Forward constructors and binded types
From: Markus Werle (numerical.simulation_at_[hidden])
Date: 2012-07-22 11:18:41

Fabio Fracassi wrote:

> Just spelling out some thoughts I had while reading the docu:
> 
> Even though, it would help to have this information in the docu. The way
> it is written now feels a bit like playing Jeopardy, you present
> solutions and the reader tries to figure out the problem.

I would like to add to this: I got the impression that TypeErasure is 
something really great to have - if and only if you really understand the 
problem it solves and how to solve it.

Here I am in the same situation as with proto: I will read the docs again 
and again and not really get sure about whether I am doing it right. 

This is not the first boost library that misses a great tutorial. I think we 
have a dilemma here: The C++ skill level of the library authors is (and has 
to be) so extraordinary that they fully understand the implementation of mpl 
or proto and that they simply do not understand that mediocre programmers as 
me (sorry for "only" 15 years of C++ experience) stumble over questions on a 
much lower level. 

I enjoyed this and other threads and some comments in the docs that simply 
tell me I am an absolute beginner. For me reference docs are helpful when I 
am through the normal docs, not as a first contact.

Please note that I hesitate to blame Steven for the fact that the docs do 
not meet my needs. I expect TypeErasure to be a great library with a near-
perfect and well-thought implementation, only the missing step-by-step intro 
is exactly my problem with this library. I can imagine that writing it 
should not be Steven's burden. Like for the STL which was not written by 
Scott Meyers, but only perfectly explained.  

@Steven: 

If you have some more examples at hand, please insert them into the examples 
section. 

If you have some silly little example of the problem the library solves, 
please put it into the introduction chapter. People might read the library 
description and not get a clue what it was meant for.

Markus