Re: [boost] [Removing support for old compilers]

Subject: Re: [boost] [Removing support for old compilers]
From: Jonathan Wakely (jwakely.boost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-10-14 13:09:56

On 14 October 2013 17:20, Robert Ramey wrote:
> I realize that I've asked this before - but I never got a response which I
> found
> convincing.  I'll try to ask my question better this time.
>
> The question - What is the value of undertaking this task.
>
> Let's look at the value of according to the type of boost
> participant.
>
> a) boost user - all this code in config and the libraries is
> internal to the libraries.  After this change the look and
> usage of boost will not change at all. - no benefit and
> no cost to the boost user.

I consider myself a "boost user" as I haven't contributed more than a
few patches, but I often have to look at the implementations

Even as a standard library author I find Boost code to be baroque and
hard to follow, due largely to all the preprocessor conditions needed
to support ancient non-standard compilers.

I highly appreciate removing the cruft, it makes it much easier to
read and debug Boost code, as a user.

>
> c) boost users on older platforms.  They are to
> be stuck with the boost 1.54. I don't know how
> big this group is but I'm sure it has some members.
> A big loss for this (probably small) group as they
> won't benefit from things like bug fixes and enhancements.

They can always pay someone to backport fixes to they version they use.