Re: bjamv2: linking exe with whole list of system libs

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-08-24 11:55:25

Toon Knapen <toon.knapen_at_[hidden]> writes:

> But users should learn first about using the tool (from the 
> documentation e.g.) instead of trying a tool and complain that it does 
> not work as _they_ expect.
>
>
>> Yes, the order sensitivity
>> can be handy when one library wants to override symbols from the other.
>> That is, if two libraries define function 'userinit', then the first
>> definition is used. But such cases are not common and could be solved with
>> explicit mechanisms. 
>
>
> I never considered this a feature of the order-dependency, I also find 
> this kind of use 'dirty'.
>
> > Anyway, that's just philosophical ideas of mine, so
> > don't take them too seriously.
>
> I was just curious about your opinion. In our company I find it very 
> important that developers know what the different development tools 
> actually do and how these tools work (and eventually how a computer 
> works): I think it improves code-quality.

It is a design goal of Boost.Build (both versions) that you should be
able to write "very-likely-to-work-on-other-platforms" Jamfiles
without access to those other platforms. This is an important
feature for Boost developers. That means subtle details of
individual tools should be smoothed over as much as possible.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
http://www.boost-consulting.com