Re: [boost] [outcome] Requesting pre-review of Boost.Outcome tutorial

Subject: Re: [boost] [outcome] Requesting pre-review of Boost.Outcome tutorial
From: Paul A. Bristow (pbristow_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-11-22 05:54:00

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Boost [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Niall Douglas
> Sent: 11 November 2016 19:27
> To: boost_at_[hidden]
> Subject: [boost] [outcome] Requesting pre-review of Boost.Outcome tutorial
> 
> Dear Boost,
> 
> I am hoping to bring Boost.Outcome, a C++ 14 library providing a
> factory and family of policy driven lightweight monadic
> value-or-error transports, into the Boost peer review queue by March
> 2017 followed shortly thereafter by an ACCU talk in April if my talk
> proposal passes their programme committee. To that end, I've written
> an explanation and a sort of tutorial explaining the history and
> purpose of Outcome at https://ned14.github.io/boost.outcome/ and I'd
> greatly appreciate if people could tell me:
> 
> 1. Does it make sense?

Amazing that something as handling the unexpected can be complicated, but yes, I think it does.
 
As you and others have observed, explaining the "evolution of ideas" is too convoluted with the 'how to do it now'.

Splitting the documentation into "What it is and how to do it" from "Why it's like this and how it is better"
is one way.  Re-ordering could also work.

For users, start with the very, very, very simple to prevent TL;DRitus switching readers off. 

Working examples that the user can pull and run will sell well.

> 2. Do you think you could use Outcome in your own code after reading it?

Probably.
 
> 3. Do you think you would want to use Outcome in your own code after
> reading it?

Possibly (because I rarely care much about speed, or indeed reliability).

But I can see that others will care greatly.

(And I care greatly that computer systems are so intermittently dysfunctional - all my consumer devices are riddled with dodgy code
that only works mostly).

> 4. Are there any missing parts which are showstoppers?

Not that I can (or would be able) to spot.

Keep going!

Paul

---
Paul A. Bristow
Prizet Farmhouse
Kendal UK LA8 8AB
[phone]