Re: [boost] Let's stop distributing binaries

Subject: Re: [boost] Let's stop distributing binaries
From: Peter Dimov (lists_at_[hidden])
Date: 2018-08-29 23:03:30

Robert Ramey wrote:

> > This is all irrelevant anyway because we don't ship binaries except on 
> > Windows where we don't have a problem with them.
>
> Hmmm - we ship binaries I presume in the form of DLLS and *.lib files. 
> Which -std version are these compiled with?

The compiler default. MSVC versions before 2015 didn't have -std at all, for 
2015/2017 the default is C++14.

> Doesn't that create a number of problems?  Weren't you the one who pointed 
> this out?

Most MSVC users don't change the default, and for those who use C++17, there 
aren't (yet) any problems because very few libraries (yet) change their ABI 
for C++17. The main dividing line is between 03 and 11, a secondary one 
exists between 11 and 14.

C++14 is a very good ABI default.

> > Linux binaries are shipped by the distros, not us.

> Hmmm - same question as above?  if the binaries are compiled with one -std 
> version but the user links in via static or dynamic link with a 
> different -std version won't that create problems?

It very well might, but we can do nothing about it. Most new distros ought 
to use the default C++14, which is the most compatible one.