Re: [boost] List of C++ 11 only Boost libraries and their status?

Subject: Re: [boost] List of C++ 11 only Boost libraries and their status?
From: Paul A. Bristow (pbristow_at_[hidden])
Date: 2014-11-25 05:41:17

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Boost [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Pete bartlett
> Sent: 24 November 2014 19:03
> To: boost_at_[hidden]
> Subject: Re: [boost] List of C++ 11 only Boost libraries and their status?
> > On 24 Nov 2014, at 18:28, Gottlob Frege <gottlobfrege_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> >
> > On Mon, Nov 24, 2014 at 8:20 AM, Hartmut Kaiser
> > <hartmut.kaiser_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> >>
> >>> For C++ Now 2015 I am intending to present an overview of C++ 11
> >>> only Boost libraries in the review queue or very near the review
> >>> queue by the time of the conference. I'd appreciate help filling in
> >>> missing gaps in this list:
> >>
> >> *snipped list*
> >>
> >> Technically, all libraries in Boost are C++11. What's your point?
> >
> > C++11 *only*. (or more precisely >= C++11) ie won't work in anything less

A part (admittedly decreasing) of Boost will still work on C++98.
 
> I think it *is* worth asking "what's the point". For end users whether a
particular
> library uses c++11 features is more-or-less irrelevant - they have a set of
real world
> compilers to support (or justify upgrade from) and so they would love clear
> statements about what compilers a particular library works on. Of course it is
not
> trivial for an author to supply such a statement - bits of the library may
require more
> modern c++ than other parts - or the minimum feature set required may be
inherited
> from a library used internally by the implementation and this might also
change from
> release to release...

To try to provide this info is to try to build on quicksand - compilers are
changing continuously and will continue to do - this for ever.

Authors and macros give some clues, but the bottom line is "Does it compile?"

Boost has also tried not to abandon old compilers unnecessarily, but not
promised to provide workarounds, so if the author says C++YY only, then that's
OK.

I think that Boost has always said "Suck-it-and-see" and "YMMY", and should
continue to be so.

Paul

---
Paul A. Bristow
Prizet Farmhouse
Kendal UK LA8 8AB
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