Re: [boost] [sort] Re: [review] Formal review period for Sort library begins today, November 10, and ends Wednesday, November 19

Subject: Re: [boost] [sort] Re: [review] Formal review period for Sort library begins today, November 10, and ends Wednesday, November 19
From: Adam D. Walling (adam.walling_at_[hidden])
Date: 2014-11-10 17:04:04

> The Sort library is a library which implements hybrid sorting algorithms
> based on a Spreadsort ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spreadsort ), of 
which the author of the library,
> Steven Ross, is the inventor.

With a library name of Sort, I would think this would provide a variety of 
sorting algorithms. As it is now I believe this would be better named as 
the Spreadsort library, or as a Spreadsort feature of an existing library 
(such as boost Algorithm)

> And finally, every review should attempt to answer this question:
>
> - Do you think the library should be accepted as a Boost library?

No. This library has potential, but is too specific for a what I would 
expect from a Sort library. I believe the only way to get something like 
this into boost is to provide Spreadsort as one among many algorithms. 
This will also allow benchmarks and comparisons to be performed among the 
various algorithms directly, as well as provide a foundation and building 
blocks for more advanced usage.

As an aside, I am very interested in Spreadsort! I would like to see it 
available, definitely. But certainly there must be situations where other 
algorithms are a better fit. 

-Adam D. Walling