[Boost-users] The Boost Community

From: Fernando Cacciola (fernando_cacciola_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-05-03 11:41:48

Hello people,

In 1998, Bemans Dawes wrote the "Proposal for a C++ Library Repository Web 
Site" (you can find the paper in (www.boost.org/more/index.htm), which 
lunched the Boost we all know and love today.
The focus of the site was and is the production of high-quality 
peer-reviewed C++ libraries.
Over the years, Boost grew as a community of experienced C++ developers with 
the will and means to share their expertise and work contributing to the 
highly respected Boost Libraries. Today, Boost is a somewhat recongisable 
part of the C++ programming community at large.

Today, the way I see it, Boost as a community encompases only the boost 
developers, which are just a fraction of the larger C++ crowd. There are 
certainly Boost users, but I don't think we can say both developers and 
users form a community. I think is worth and in-the-spirit to reach out for 
ALL C++ programmers of ALL LEVELS around an "extended" Boost Community whose 
main sharing point is not just the submission of high-quality libraries but 
also the efficient and effective use of the language.

A Boost Community site would focus not directly in the Libraries produced by 
Boost but on C++ itself as the great language we all love and on fostering 
proper use of it (which includes mixing it with other languages when 
appropiate).
It would be volunteer-driven, just like the Boost libraries are, so the site 
would be moderated but open for external edition (I think a wiki would 
work).
I envision it having home page links to the fundamental resources for C++ 
programmers (CUJ,ACCU, "the" books, etc), blogs from developers and users 
(related to state of the art C++ and/or the boost libraties), important C++ 
related news (not just boost-library related news), reviews, etc... 
essentially, everything the will of volunteers can bring on to the 
community. The motto being "fostering proper use of C++".
A minimum of moderation would be required but I assume not much.

I know there are other programmer communities around (even C++ focused). The 
reason I propose this here (around Boost) is becasue I think that a 
community centered around the Boost Libraries but reaching out could stand 
out for its quality in the same way the Boost Libraries do.
I also know that a newsgroup or mailing list is a form of community, and we 
have c.l.cpp.m and c.s.cpp. But they lack the verstile structure and 
dynamism of the today's virtual communities. Also, somehow I believe that 
centering a community around the Boost Libraries would spread their quality 
into the rest of the site; to some degree at least.

I welcome comments, ctricticism and I call interested people to put forward 
concrete ideas.

Best

Fernando Cacciola
SciSoft