Re: [epochs] Proposal for an epoch-based organization of Boost libraries

From: pbristow_at_[hidden]
Date: 2020-05-24 15:04:52

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Boost <boost-bounces_at_[hidden]> On Behalf Of Joaquin M López Muñoz via Boost

> Sent: 23 May 2020 10:56

> To: boost_at_[hidden]

> Cc: Joaquin M López Muñoz <joaquinlopezmunoz_at_[hidden]>

> Subject: [boost] [epochs] Proposal for an epoch-based organization of Boost libraries

> 

> Hi,

> 

> Prompted by general feelings about Boost perceived lack of modernization and internal "bloat", and

> after an explicit survey on what users dislike about Boost [1], I decided to try and write a more or less

> fleshed out proposal for an epoch-based organization of Boost libraries. I've extensively tested and

> refined the proposal during discussions on Reddit and the Boost Slack channel, and I feel this is now

> ready for presentation at the mailing list:

> 

> https://github.com/joaquintides/boost_epoch/blob/master/README.md

> 

> I hope the proposal can start a productive conversation. Looking forward to your feedback.

 

Your epoch ideas have merit, but some disadvantages.

 

But I fear that (like other projects like Cmake) the BIG hurdle that we struggle to get over, is *resources*.

 

And particularly, resources to update *all* existing libraries in any way.

 

Boost does have a lot of dependencies, but they are there for excellent reasons.

 

Documentation is a big part of the distribution (guilty) , but are needed by most.

 

Tests and tests data are another area that many users rarely use, but separately them would be a big task.

 

It is true that Boost has become very big, but Boost is only taking up space on builder's disks, not in end-users executables.

 

If we could do something positive, it would be to make much clearer that nearly all Boost is header-only, and has no effect on the executables.

 

The Getting Started instructions have been poor from the start, and are virtually unchanged while the Boost size has increased >10-fold.

To suggest that everyone needs to build all the libraries for all the variants taking hours has become absurd when most users are only like to need a handful like system and chrono.

 

So we could and should *sell* Boost much better.

 

In conclusion, I don't think that we have the resources to do any useful split.  

So while we may regret that some avoid Boost, we must resign ourselves to continue muddling through ☹

 

Paul