Re: [Boost-build] Boost.Build Documentation (on Steriods) for Newbies?

From: Mateusz Loskot (mateusz_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-01-16 08:31:42

Dean Michael Berris wrote:
> On 1/16/07, Mateusz Loskot <mateusz_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>> Dean Michael Berris wrote:
>>> I personally think it could benefit from a well-written "What is
>>> Boost.Build" and "Why use Boost.Build" as well as a "Boost.Build by
>>> Example" section for the uninitiated and the people with short
>>> attention spans (like me).
>> Dean,
>>
>> I think you will find following texts a very interesting introductory:
>>
>> http://www.boost.org/tools/build/v1/build_system.htm#requirements
>>
>> and here is an excellent comparison with GNU autotools/makefiles,
>> by David Abrahams:
>>
>> http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.build/7434
>>
> 
> Thanks! This stuff is what I've been looking for.

Great!

> Perhaps content like this would be just right at home (maybe in narrative form, in
> sections) in the Boost.Build v2 documentation.

Yes, as a BBv2 user, I think it's a good idea.

> I'm primarily thinking about the people just starting out with using
> Boost.Build V2 in their own projects looking for information about it.
> Collating information like this into one definitive document would be
> a worthy effort IMHO.

Generally, start with BBv2 is hard :-) and time consuming, but feasible.

Here are some simple crash courses I found very helpful:

http://www.brainbell.com/tutorials/C++/Building_C++_Applications.htm

As you can see, these tutorials are very well-written in comparative
style, and shows how to achieve the same tasks using different tool
chains, Boost.Build included.

> Perhaps later, we can start writing propaganda material for people
> who've been bitten by autoconf hell and are interested in looking for
> a GNU Make replacement.

I believe the best propaganda is extremely user-friendly set of docs,
for instance, wiki.

> C++ Users Journal,

R.I.P :-(

Cheers
-- 
Mateusz Loskot
http://mateusz.loskot.net