Re: [Boost-users] Removing all support for Visual C++ 7.0, GCC 3.2 and other old compilers

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] Removing all support for Visual C++ 7.0, GCC 3.2 and other old compilers
From: Eric Niebler (eniebler_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-08-06 13:40:41

On 13-08-06 09:49 AM, Robert Ramey wrote:
> Daniel James wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> There has been some discussion on the development list about dropping
>> all support for old C++ compilers. This will allow us to remove a lot
>> of workarounds and simplify the code but before doing so it's a good
>> idea to find out if anyone is still using them.
<snip>
> I am totally missing what this thread is about.
> 
> a) boost config has macros which can be used to make library
> code conditional on which compiler is being used.
> b) some of those compilers are out of date and not widely
> used anymore.
> 
> So what? Why is this a problem?

Because some libraries, to preserve the impression of being portable to
these ancient compilers, pull in dependencies on other libraries that
would be otherwise unnecessary.

On the dev list, there is a specific example being discussed. Shuffle
over there if you want to understand the issue in detail.

-- 
Eric Niebler
Boost.org