Re: [boost] C++03 / C++11 compatibility question for compiled libraries

On 2/9/2018 11:08 AM, degski via Boost wrote:

On 9 February 2018 at 09:45, Thomas Heller via Boost wrote:

...

Since C++03 is the lowest level of C++ standards compatibility, it can hardly "demand" anything. If you think it does please point out a C++03 construct which is not supported by later C++ standards.

std::auto_ptr.

register keyword, trigraphs, operator++(bool), exception specifications.

OK, but those are all pretty obscure constructs, even for C++03. I do not think that any Boost library uses any of the above but I do agree that if a C++03 library uses some language feature that is dropped in subsequent versions of the C++ standard it should at least consider upgrading itself to be usable by others compiling with that later version. However I am still against the notion that Boost is going to dictate a level of the C++ standard in which all libraries in Boost must be written. You can not force developers to use constructs and libraries which they do not find useful. I do agree with the idea that a Boost library should be usable when compiled with a later version of the C++ standard than that for which the library itself was written. The issue with Boost Test is that if it now requires a C++11 level compiler to use it, every library which tests itself using Boost Test now requires a C++11 level compiler to run its tests.

degski