Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #1744: Change in default build variants broke "Getting Started"

Subject: Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #1744: Change in default build variants broke "Getting Started"
From: Boost C++ Libraries (noreply_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-07-29 16:11:33

#1744: Change in default build variants broke "Getting Started"
-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------
  Reporter:  tychom_at_[hidden]  |       Owner:  bemandawes               
      Type:  Bugs              |      Status:  new                      
 Milestone:  Boost 1.36.0      |   Component:  build                    
   Version:  Boost 1.35.0      |    Severity:  Regression               
Resolution:                    |    Keywords:  bjam build static windows
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Changes (by dave):

  * owner:  grafik => bemandawes
  * status:  reopened => new

Comment:

 Replying to [comment:27 vladimir_prus]:
 > I don't think we should target folks who installed Linux yesterday.
 Anybody doing development on Linux knows how to link to libraries, and
 about LD_LIBRARY_PATH. I don't think GSG should, among other thing, be
 "teach yourself Linux programming in 10 mins" document.

 This attitude really rubs me the wrong way.  'Nuf said on that.

 I wrote the current GSG, so I get to decide what its purpose is. It should
 be a "give people foolproof instructions so that they don't continually
 come to us asking why they can't get started with the libraries, or
 ''worse yet, give up without asking'' document."

 Some people installing on Linux aren't doing development there.  They're
 just configuring the libraries so the real developers can use them, and
 it's not uncommon that these people are only really familiar with Windows.
 It would be great if everybody were experienced enough to get over these
 humps by themselves, but in reality they're not.  Also, with 10 or so new
 things to get right in order to make the process work, it's easy for even
 experienced users to overlook something.  When things don't work for me, I
 go back over the instructions step by step and make sure I did everything
 right.  If we don't provide instructions that work, people will have
 little reason to trust the rest of our documentation.

 Reassigning to Beman because I consider it absolutely critical that 1.36
 not ship with this ticket still open.  Sorry, Beman, but we appear to be
 stalled over here.  Can you help us get unstuck?

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/1744#comment:28>
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