Re: [boost] [gsoc16] Can I quickly check if the below really is the best approach?

Subject: Re: [boost] [gsoc16] Can I quickly check if the below really is the best approach?
From: Louis Dionne (ldionne.2_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-01-15 09:45:36

Niall Douglas <s_sourceforge <at> nedprod.com> writes:

> 
> On 15 Jan 2016 at 0:46, Louis Dionne wrote:
> 
> > > [1]: I believe Boost.Hana could implement a static constan 
> > > associative map quite easily, but I'd be fairly sure Hana will likely 
> > > be beyond most students.
> > 
> > Only if the keys are known at compile-time. Otherwise, it's out of Hanaland.
> > 
> > Anyway, here's an attempt to implement such a map:
> >     
> >     https://gist.github.com/ldionne/f7ff609f00dc7025a213
> > 
> > I don't know if it's worthwhile, but it's there. Don't hesitate to let me 
> > know what you think.
> 
> Yep, you've pretty much got the bones of the completed GSoC idea 
> there Louis, and interesting how there is no Hana in there. 

Hana is really about heterogeneous data structures and algorithms. While
technically possible, using Hana would incur a higher compile-time cost, 
and the solution would most likely end up being more difficult to properly 
optimize for the compiler. The bottom line really is that if you don't need 
heterogeneity, you're probably better off using a bare bones solution than
Hana.

> I like how it only took you a few hours rather than a summer!
>
> If only GSoC students like you came along every year ... my word 
> would we make some amazing progress in Boost libraries. Anyway, I 
> still reckon if a student completes in a summer what took you a few 
> hours (much of the summer will go on writing tests and docs of 
> course) then I would be very pleased with that student. You were and 
> still are very unusual Louis.

Do not forget that I have spent a significant amount of time working on
Hana, without which it would have taken me much longer to write this
prototype. But thanks for the kind words anyway.

Regards,
Louis