Re: [boost] [type_traits] Rewrite and dependency free version

Subject: Re: [boost] [type_traits] Rewrite and dependency free version
From: Steve M. Robbins (steve_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-02-04 15:00:38

On Tue, Feb 03, 2015 at 09:10:34PM -0800, Robert Ramey wrote:
> Steve M. Robbins-2 wrote
> > On Tue, Feb 03, 2015 at 04:22:00PM -0800, Robert Ramey wrote:
> > I can't imagine this to be a very common use case.  After about 2-3 build
> > failures
> > due to missing libraries, your user is going to desperately want "all of
> > boost"
> > in one tar ball.
> 
> what about when boost hits  500 libraries?  Is he still going to want the
> whole thing?

On my *development* machine: yes.

> He'll always be able to get the "whole thing".  That's not an issue.
> The whole discussion is predicated on the idea that one shouldn't have to
> download the whole thing. For other users - this discussion is not relevant.

Yes, I get that.  I understand not wanting to download everything.
For my use, package managers for linux distributions, Perl, Python,
Ruby, etc, have basically figured it out.  I gather that the "bpm" does
the same for Boost.  I guess I don't personally see a use-case for
basing the dependencies on what my code today happens to include.  It
seems terribly fragile to me.

> > It's not how I want to work.  When want to use library X, I want X plus
> > all
> > its dependencies for any conceiveable program: 
> 
> Hmmm and you want to distribute DLLS with your program which are many times
> larger than necessary?  Will your customers be happy with that?

I see that as a different problem.  I'm certainly willing to pick and
choose what to distribute and at that point I'd be willing to run a
script on my source code to generate a minimal set of distributables.
Preferably, it would be automatic and integrated into my build script.

> > "apt-get install X-dev" and go.
> > I don't want to have to keep running a dependency tool on my source code.
> 
> OK - no problem, you're already good to go.

Yes.  I respond only because I've never personally encountered your
use case and was curious how widespread it really is.  I'm sure you
have more experience than I so I'd like to learn from it.

Best,
-Steve