Re: [Boost-build] Boost build documentation

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] Boost build documentation
From: Paul A. Bristow (pbristow_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-05-08 05:46:08

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Edward Diener [mailto:eldiener_at_[hidden]]
> Sent: Monday, May 06, 2013 8:33 PM
> To: boost-build_at_[hidden]
> Subject: Re: [Boost-build] Boost build documentation
> 
> On 5/6/2013 2:44 PM, Thomas Suckow wrote:
> >> The Boost build documentation at
> >> http://www.boost.org/boost-build2/doc/html/index.html says 2006-2009.
> >> Has it really not been updated in 4 years ?
> > That webpage is indeed 4 years old.
> >> If it has not been updated in 4 years, could it not be updated if
> >> changes have been made to Boost build ?
> > Boost build has had numerous changes. I would use the nightly, not the
> > latest "stable" version.
> 
> If Boost build has had numerous changes in the last 4 years I do not understand why the web pages
have
> not been updated to reflect those changes. Every link within Boost's general documentation, on the
> website and in the releases, which refers to Boost Build points to that web URL.
> What is the point of having documentation which does not reflect the current status of Boost Build
as
> the official documentation for the product on the web ?
> 
> >>
> >> If it has been updated in the meantime could the dates be changed to
> >> reflect when it was last updated ?
> > I think the source contains newer documentation, but not much. The
> > information that would be really useful would be the modules that ship
> > with boost-build.
> 
> There are lots of other things I have been told about Boost Build, usually by the kindness of
Steve
> Watanabe answering my questions, which is not in the Boost Build documentation at the URL above.
It is
> hardly just about the modules which ship with Boost build, although knowing more about them would
> also be helpful.

We've accepted much kindness from Steven Watanabe and many others, but collectively, we Boosters
have failed to get the accumulated knowledge about Boost Build into our documentation. 

And the number of queries that are repeats suggests that we have abused their kindness.

Despite the noble efforts of Daniel and others, several bits of key documentation, initially
state-of-the-art, are way out of date.

IMO, this is because we have restricted the access to add to the documentation to too few people,
partly through limiting write-access, but mainly from not having a 'standard' Boost-way of producing
docs and updating them.

When the dust has settled on modularisation and GIT, perhaps we can revisit this issue?

Paul

---
Paul A. Bristow,
Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal LA8 8AB  UK
[phone]  07714330204
pbristow_at_[hidden]