Re: [boost] [git help] Documenting common modular boost workflows

Subject: Re: [boost] [git help] Documenting common modular boost workflows
From: Julian Gonggrijp (j.gonggrijp_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-10-24 03:50:54

Dave Abrahams wrote:

> on Wed Oct 23 2013, Julian Gonggrijp wrote:
> 
>> What do you do if module releases conflict? For example, if the 
>> latest release of module A is only compatible with older releases of 
>> module B, or if one module depends on the latest version of B while 
>> another depends on the previous? When such effects propagate you 
>> might have to be very conservative with the global update even though 
>> most modules have updated several times in the meanwhile.
> 
> One or more modules don't advance their version in the official Boost
> distribution until one or both of the maintainers solve the problem.
> 
>> In my opinion it would be better to make hotfixes in the offending 
>> modules (using standard gitflow hotfix branches) so that every Boost 
>> release can include the latest versions of all modules. 
> 
> I disagree.
> 
>> Of course, that requires more coordination between the release
>> managers and the library maintainers.
> 
> Exactly.  One of the main points of modularizing is to minimize the
> coordination burdens associated with our processes.  Especially when you
> have an organization of volunteers, creating a situation where one
> person's non-responsiveness can stymie overall progress is a bad idea.

Point taken. Still, you haven't taken away my worry about "conflict 
propagation": what if a couple of conflicting modules block the newest 
versions of 20 (or more!) other modules?

Is that somehow not possible? Am I missing something?

-Julian