Re: [Boost-users] [boost] condensed overview of boost

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [boost] condensed overview of boost
From: Olaf Krzikalla (olaf.krzikalla_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-05-24 11:45:50

Hi @all (und ein besonderes Hallo nach Offenburg(?) :-),

Am 23.05.2011 15:14, schrieb Joachim Faulhaber:
> There is an overview on the boost web-site www.boost.org of course in
> an synoptic quality with short descriptions of each library. As far as
> I know there is no single documentation on inter library relationships
> that is maintained, correct me if I'm wrong.
>
> Generated dependency graphs were provided by Chrisoph Heindl in December 2008.
>
> http://lists.boost.org/Archives/boost/2008/12/146290.php
> http://picasaweb.google.com/christoph.heindl/BoostDependencies1370
>
> for boost-1.37 but not updated later.
Well, these graphs describe the relations from a technical point of 
view. I have ordered my lecture wrt. the categories as used at the 
boost.org documentation and also in the book you've mentioned.
My approach was to describe each library in terms of a specific problem 
solved by exactly that particular library. Sometimes it was difficult to 
find an appropriate problem.

> boost::numeric::interval is closed interval on numeric types with a
> focus on interval arithmetic. It is also suitable handle numeric
> precision problems AFAIK, but I'm not an expert for that.
>
> In contrast ICL has a focus on the set character of intervals and
> their composition in interval containers. Non numeric intervals are
> possible as long as there is an ordering on the domain_type.
IMHO icl::closed_interval could model numeric::interval, which 
eventually would reduce the number of libraries to teach.
OTOH I'm aware of the problem that it is not so easy to put a boost lib 
on an obsolete/superseded list. No author wants to see his lib on such a 
list.

> Meta State Machine is a library that generates finite state machines
> completely at compile-time from meta code. MSN is more expensive at
> compile time but may generate even faster code than a "traditional"
> FSM. Maybe Christophe can comment on this.
Eventually during my lecture I marked MSM as the more modern and more 
compact lib and usually the way to go.

> There is no ready made structure or institution within boost for this.
> But definitely there are people who have similar thoughts, concerns
> and intentions. It depends if someone is going to contribute and/or is
> taking the lead for an effort like this.
One thing that could help are some powerpoints available for the public 
giving that condensed overview. I could publish mine, but they are in 
german and actually consist of three different lessons.
I'm sure other people have already given boost lectures too. I'd like to 
see their approaches to introduce boost as a whole.

Best Olaf