Re: [Boost-users] Ownership of Boost IP?

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-08-04 14:00:15

"Nat Goodspeed" <ngoodspeed_at_[hidden]> writes:

> Can I make a case that the small incremental costs in coding time and
> reliability would add up to a bigger hit than the hypothetical risk of
> lawsuit? 

Absolutely, and they're not small and incremental, especially in the
long run.  Having weak abstractions is fatal to the long-term health
of any codebase.  It kills maintainability and development velocity,
and often causes either a very expensive rewrite, or stagnation that
costs the code its ability to remain competitive.

> It seems doubtful, since all the factors involved in such an
> argument are sheer guesswork -- and every party will believe their
> own guesses rather than their opponents'.

If I were working in a development organization that didn't understand
the fundamental importance of strong abstractions, I'd be trying hard
to remedy that.  And failing that, I'd be looking for a different
venue in which to practice my craft.  No developer needs that kind of
pain.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com