Re: [boost] c++03 library survey

Subject: Re: [boost] c++03 library survey
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2018-08-28 14:54:27

On 8/28/18 4:37 AM, Mike Dev via Boost wrote:

> =======Please quote from here ======================================
> 
> - Which library/ies are you maintaining? (I assume this isn't some
>    sort of private information - otherwise ignore the question)
Boost Serialization
> 
> - Would you like to unconditionally use c++11 features if you would
>    not have to worry about this breaking boost internal users?
There is no value to these features at this point
> 
> - Would you like to unconditionally use c++11 features if you would
>    not have to worry about this breaking any users?

> 
> - Would you deprecate your library completely if there were no
>    boost-internal users and your current dependencies required
>    c++11 (e.g. because your library has been merged into the c++11
>    standard library anyway)

hmmm - normally I just respond to bug reports.  If there are no users 
there would be no such reports so probably nothing would happen.

> 
> - Are you yourself using any boost library (in an up-to-date version)
>    in a c++03, non-boost project?

within the boost serialization library or in other projects?

In any case, I just incorporate an std header if there is one, next I 
select a boost header, and finally I write it myself.

>    
> - Do you have any Idea if the latest versions of your library is
>    used by any important/significant number of c++02 projects?
>    [It is only important if *you* consider those projects important
>     and or the number significant]

I have no idea how frequently the boost serialization library is used. 
I'm sort of thinking it's more than 25 times.  But I have not statistics 
on this.  I would love to know this.

====

The one thing that might happen in the future is that BS depends upon 
some other boost library which gets "upgraded" to C++11 so that BS is no 
longer compatible with C++03.  But this seems unlikely.  Boost libraries 
don't get much maintenance.  Once it works and passes all tests, no one 
messes with it.  upgrading working code from C++03 to C++11 isn't going 
to add any benefit, so there it's more attractive to spend one's efforts 
somewhere else.

Robert Ramey