Re: [Boost-users] Boost: Getting Started on Windows

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] Boost: Getting Started on Windows
From: Marsh Ray (marsh_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-09-30 17:11:32

On 09/27/2010 02:40 AM, Daniel James wrote:
> On 26 September 2010 18:43, Olivier Bertrand<bertrandop_at_[hidden]>  wrote:
>>
>> c:\boost_1_44\boost\config\suffix.hpp(588) : error C2039: 'typeinfo' : is
>> not a member of '`global namespace''
>> c:\boost_1_44\boost\config\suffix.hpp(588) : error C2873: 'typeinfo' :
>> symbol cannot be used in a using-declaration
>
> It looks like this change broke Boost.Config on VC6:
>
> https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/changeset/61434
>
> If that's true then very little of Boost 1.44 will work on that
> compiler, since almost everything depends on the config headers. Is it
> worth fixing? Something like this was inevitable once testing stopped.

As a long time Boost user (yes, even since the VC6 days) I suggest that 
Boost make an explicit policy change.

Not only should VC6 be deprecated, not supported, and otherwise ignored 
in Boost, but all its vestigial compatibility workaround code should be 
actively ripped out!

It's largely clutter at this point, and these breaks are evidence that 
it's poorly maintained and not used or tested much either. A dangerous 
breeding ground for bugs.

This is when somebody raises their hand and says "But I need VC6 because 
it's the only way I can build something for these military embedded 
WinCE98 things we're still contractually obligated to support for 
another 13 years". We should all be very sympathetic, but that 
application should probably stay on the last Boost release that works 
for them.

Just think how much fun it will be to grep for those VC6 macros and 
submit all those negative-LoC patches!

- Marsh