Re: [boost] proposal - modularize Boost build system

Subject: Re: [boost] proposal - modularize Boost build system
From: Edward Diener (eldiener_at_[hidden])
Date: 2017-06-19 13:32:08

On 6/19/2017 1:21 AM, Stefan Seefeld via Boost wrote:
> On 18.06.2017 16:45, Robert Ramey via Boost wrote:
>> On 6/18/17 1:34 PM, Edward Diener via Boost wrote:
>>> Let's be realistic, this is a real problem which only some sort of
>>> Boost individual library versioning system for starters can hope to
>>> solve.
>>
>> If I may be so bold as to summarize your point:
>>
>> In order to distribute boost as individual libraries as opposed to a
>> monolithic set, individual library versioning will sooner or later
>> have to be adopted.
>>
>> I think this is indisputable.  But I don't think we have to worry
>> about in practice.  Whatever we do, it will take sometime to get there
>> and, if we ever do get there, I think that adding this feature won't
>> be a big problem.  Of course if we don't ever get there, we've got
>> nothing nothing to worry about.
> 
> I watch (somewhat in horror, I have to admit) the follow-up mails as
> they predictably derail into un-manageable scenarios. So I'd like to
> point out that my proposal in no way implies any particular release
> policy, i.e. whether individual libraries are released independently or not.
> So when you dive into that discussion, please be aware that it's
> entirely orthogonal to the proposal at hand. Whether or not releasing
> Boost libraries as independent entities has no bearing on the usefulness
> or feasibility of modularising Boost.

You did mention in your OP:

5) Invoke a command to install it

6) Invoke a command to package it (optional)

Maybe you need to be more specific about what you mean in each case. It 
sure sounds to me, by the 2 items above, as if you meant to suggest that 
you could distribute an individual Boost library ( and its dependencies 
) separately from the current monolithic Boost tree. If so, I am 
suggesting that without a very well worked out versioning system for 
individual Boost libraries such a plan will end up with serious problems 
for the end-user.

> 
> Thank you,
>          Stefan
>