Re: [Boost-users] [math] fpclassify.hpp fails to compile with Intel icc 11.1

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [math] fpclassify.hpp fails to compile with Intel icc 11.1
From: Gabriel Redner (gredner_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-01-03 22:15:44

Hi Paul,

In this case, no reason at all.  1.42 is the version that comes
prepackaged for Ubuntu, so that's what's I had installed.  However,
this is just a small academic project, so there was really no barrier
to downloading 1.45, dumping it into our source tree, and pointing the
build at it.

On the other hand, I have worked in a large development organization
which was quite conservative about upgrading to the newest version of
any library or tool.  Upgrades take time, and if they temporarily
break someone's setup (or even a whole team's!) they can consume a
huge number of man-hours.  Even worse if the new version brings a new
and unknown bug with it.  So, those managing our projects tended to be
cautious about upgrades.  We'd use old versions of libraries, old
compilers, everything.  We were usually a couple of years behind in
our boost version, and our compilers were quite a bit older than that.
 As long as it worked, we wouldn't touch it until someone could make a
good case for the benefits of upgrading outweighing the risks.  In the
case of this bug, such questions as "Do you *have* to use the
boost::math special functions?  How much effort would it take to just
roll our own?  Does the new version bring in any known regressions?
How long has the new version been 'in the wild,' and how well is the
library vetted in general?"

Of course I can only speak from my own experience - I have no idea if
such practices are common, but hopefully this is the sort of
information you were looking for :)

Thanks,
-Gabe

On Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 12:51 PM, Paul A. Bristow
<pbristow_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: boost-users-bounces_at_[hidden] [mailto:boost-users-
>> bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Gabriel Redner
>> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 5:22 PM
>> To: boost-users
>> Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [math] fpclassify.hpp fails to compile with
> Intel icc
>> 11.1
>>
>> Further experiments show that the issue is present in boost 1.42, but
> fixed in
>> boost 1.45.  Sorry for the noise :)
>
> No problems - glad you have got over this hurdle.
>
> But I'm curious to know why you are still using 1.42.
>
> And also how you found the 'solution'.
>
> (This is in no way a criticism, I'm just trying to understand the barrier
> that users face, or feel, to using the latest version).
>
> Paul
>
> ---
> Paul A. Bristow,
> Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal LA8 8AB  UK
> [phone]  07714330204
> pbristow_at_[hidden]
>
>
>
>
>
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