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

From: Dean Michael Berris (mikhailberis_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-01-19 15:29:10

On 1/16/07, Mateusz Loskot <mateusz_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> Dean Michael Berris wrote:
> >
> > 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.
>

Oh I can attest to that... But fortunately, trial and error, much
hours of tinkering, and later refactoring (and borrowing from some of
the Jamfile.v2's in the Boost Distribution) made me think "There's got
to be a better way if I want to `sell` this to my colleagues..." --
and now I'm in the beginnings of writing something that's more
Wiki-friendly.

Collecting references is the first step, and formulating an outline
the next. Right now I'm in the first step, and the outline I should be
able to make public soon (through a Wiki I'll try to host in our
company site).

> 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.
>

Thanks! I might pattern it like this, but I'm more interested in
incorporating more anecdotes, personal experiences (from the community
at large), tips and tricks, and perhaps a "Get Funky With It" blurb
for really interesting advanced stuff users might be interested in.

> > 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.
>

It's certainly a good way of showing that we're reaching out and
trying to get Newbies started to actually being more productive with
Boost.Build at least. :)

> > C++ Users Journal,
>
> R.I.P :-(
>

Sadness... Oh well, there's always the back issues. :D

-- 
Dean Michael C. Berris
http://cplusplus-soup.blogspot.com/
mikhailberis AT gmail DOT com
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