Re: [boost] Boost and auto_ptr (was Boost 1.60.0 beta 1...)

Subject: Re: [boost] Boost and auto_ptr (was Boost 1.60.0 beta 1...)
From: Ion Gaztañaga (igaztanaga_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-11-12 04:15:30

On 11/11/2015 20:08, Artyom Beilis wrote:
>> Hi Artyom,
>
>> While I appreciate your point of view, I believe it is too focused on your
>> own limited perspective. For example, Apple, Google, and Facebook are all
>> using C++11 extensively.
>>
>> Here in Silicon Valley, the startup ecosystem is using c++11/c++14 almost
>> exclusively. They are using clang/llvm mostly, while quite a few others
>> are using the latest g++, which is currently gcc-5.x. The vast majority of
>> new jobs are created by the startup ecosystem. (Future boost releases should
>> be mindful of the tool chains being used to create most of the new jobs.)
>>
>
> Yes... for every new project or actively developed one C++11 is great.
>
> But there are two areas where it isn't
>
> (a) Existing projects that need to be maintained in new environment
> (b) Libraries that need to support C++03 as they are used in wide range
>      of environments (like Boost for example) and should provide
>      same API.

For those like me that work in industrial environments, when you need to 
give support for 30 years, C++11 won't be an option in several years. 
Not to mention safety-related qualified toolchains which are really 
conservative. Silicon Valley is not the place were most C++ programmers 
work. The only thing we really miss is move semantics, we can live 
without lambdas, uniform initialization, etc. custom libraries can fill 
missing c++11 std library features.

In any case Artyom, I designed boost.unique_ptr's C++03 mode to be as 
lightweight as possible. Please take a look at it, it might work for you 
as a long-term solution. Boost.Container also supports emulated move 
semantics and boost.unique_ptr, so you might have a good ecosystem to 
obtain more safety in C++03 compilers in a forward-compatible way.

Best,

Ion