[boost] [endian] Some suggestions

Subject: [boost] [endian] Some suggestions
From: Tatsuyuki Ishi (ishitatsuyuki_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-04-09 23:03:40

Mr. Beman,
Here are some suggestions for the endian library.

1. Bring back float: make a proper reason for abandon
You told about NaN: but it shouldn't apply since you store it in char
buffer.
Provide a proper reason: float is still needed since this is the only
library that wraps details (platform endianness detection+compiler builtin
optimizations). Float points are indispensable in data formats. I have to
do a reinterpret_cast now as a workaround.

2. Remove n_bits(endian buffers): completely useless
This just look like an alternative to sizeof, and always /8'd when used.
What's the meaning of that?

3. Minor API suggestions
Move operator type to endian_buffer: it's not related to arithmetic but
just used because it can act like an integer.
Non-const data(): I'm tired to do reinterpret_cast. Look at C++11 vector
for a reference.
Move stream operators to endian_arithmetic: I first thought that was for
reading binary. That's basically unused.