Re: [Boost-users] Boost Serialization + Forward compatibility [was Re: boost::serialization and PHP websites]

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] Boost Serialization + Forward compatibility [was Re: boost::serialization and PHP websites]
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-05-31 02:17:43

Kenny Riddile wrote:
> Robert Ramey wrote:
>> Sohail Somani wrote:
>>> Robert Ramey wrote:
>>>> Sohail Somani wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Boost serialization currently does not elegantly handle forward
>>>>> compatibility
>>>> This would be doable if someone wanted to invest the effort.  And
>>>> this would not be a huge effort at least in comparison to
>>>> the efforts required to implement a lot of the other features of
>>>> the library.
>>> How would this be done (without breaking backward compatibility)? It
>>> is kind of late so admittedly it might be totally obvious in the
>>> morning.
>>>
>>> I also notice you have not mentioned anything about the 70 billion
>>> dollar bailout for the serialization library and spreading the
>>> wealth. I assume the cheque's in the mail.
>>
>> I purposely overlooked that comment.  It seemed to be an
>> attempt at some sort of criticism.  It's absolutely amazing to
>> me how much I've been criticised (many times personally)
>> for making this library.  I choose to interpret this as
>> acknowledgement (and perhaps resentment) of its success.  It's my
>> policy to ignore such comments which almost always results
>> in the least amount of time wasted.  Occasionally this
>> doesn't work so I have to waste more time. But generally
>> this policy works well for me.
>>
>> Robert Ramey
>
> I know you get a lot of questions about things that are clearly
> addressed in the serialization documentation (from myself too a few
> times).  I've even heard you called "that RTFM guy on the boost
> lists" a couple times :)

I should say that answering the question can sometimes be tedious.
But usually its one of the more pleasurable aspects of being a library
author.  As I'm pretty familiar with the library, I can just answer
of the top of my head so it's very easy.  (But by the same
token, the answers are sometimes incorrect - oh well).  And
questioners are grateful (Who wouldn't be after banking their
head against the wall for a day).

I'm always happy to incorporate improvements to the manual which
are submitted as trak items.  I've appended a section called "Tips
and Tricks" or FAQ (I don't remember now).  So if you wasted
a lot of time on something that was in retrospect obvious, you're
free to vent your frustration by submitting an item to that tlist.

> I couldn't handle maintaining such a
> widely-used library myself and would like to express my gratitude for
> tackling such a complex problem free of charge and creating something
> that has been very useful to us.

LOL - I would be happy to accept any compensation anyone want's
to offer to salve any guilt consciences about getting such a great deal.
In fact, I have on occasion made extensions to the library under contract.
I'm a self-unemployed software developer and I've spent time on the
library when I have nothing else to do.

I answer question because I just like to chat.

Robert Ramey