Re: [boost] RFC: Separating Boost.Python from Boost

Subject: Re: [boost] RFC: Separating Boost.Python from Boost
From: David Sankel (camior_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-05-29 23:19:29

On Fri, May 29, 2015 at 9:31 AM, Stefan Seefeld <stefan_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> I would very much like to continue the
> modularization effort, by fully separating the Boost.Python project from
> the rest of Boost.  I would like to separate the build and
> release processes.
> I would like to know whether people here (and Boost.Python users
> in particular) have any particular thoughts about this proposal. Any
> strong reasons not to move forward with this ? Things to consider while
> doing it ? Etc.
>

First off, thanks for your willingness to put the time and effort into
spearheading a continuation of the modularization of boost. It's that kind
of volunteerism that the greatness of Boost really rests upon. My hat's off
to you.

We use Boost.Python and the rest of Boost heavily at Stellar Science.
Software approvals might be a bit of a pain with this change, but I don't
see a way to avoid that with the current direction of modularization.

The big thing I would need to see in order to support your proposal is an
explanation of how it would handle dependency issues. Which version of the
rest of Boost would Boost.Python require? Is there any chance that a Boost
upgrade would break the current release of Boost.Python? If other libraries
follow suit, how would the dependency issues effect them? As a user of
Boost, what extra steps or effort would be needed to deal with the new
dependency problem? (One benefit of the current lock-step release model is
that we get an implicit guarantee that all the boost libraries in a
particular release are compatible with each other).

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

-- David Sankel