Re: Future of C++ and Boost

From: Mateusz Loskot (mateusz_at_[hidden])
Date: 2022-05-05 19:26:45

On Thu, 5 May 2022 at 17:51, James E. King III via Boost
<boost_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> On Thu, May 5, 2022 at 10:59 AM Mateusz Loskot via Boost <boost_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> > On Thu, 5 May 2022 at 16:26, Kostas Savvidis via Boost <boost_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> > > [...]
> > > In other words, boost needs to shrink not grow.
> >
> > I mostly agree, but I'd say Boost needs to undergo a restructurisation to
> > remain attractive to all generations of developers, maintainers and users.
> >
> > I can't see it happen unless we have separate superprojects:
> >
> > github.com/boostorg/boost  (require>=C++17)
> > github.com/boostorg/boost11 (>=C++11 )
> >
> > and, if still relevant, perhaps:
> >
> > github.com/boostorg/boost03
> >
> > As a maintainer, I'd like to be free to maintain a library
> > only for e.g. boostorg/boost and forget about
> > boostorg/boost11, or let new maintainer to take it
> > over there.
>
> About shrinking boost:
>
> I see no reason to have separate superprojects for different language
> levels.  Why not simply have a concerted effort to remove C++03
> support?

Why not simply have a concerted effort to remove C++11/14?

Well, we as a community need to make space for everyone,
those who want 03, those who want 11, and those who aim higher.
Like we did it for those who want Boost.Build and those who want CMake.

Otherwise, we will end up whipping the cream, again, and nothing will
happen, again.

I can't see making the space (and making the Boost more inclusive) w/o
separate superprojects.

Best regards,
-- 
Mateusz Loskot, http://mateusz.loskot.net