I got involved with Boost in 1999. I was 17, attempting to learn C++, and saw a footnote in "The C++ Standard Library" that mentioned boost.org as a place where quality C++ libraries are found. For me, it was love at first sight. Automatic pointers? Amazing. 'std::array'? Fantastic. I've been using C++ and Boost ever since. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that eighteen years later I'd be sitting on the C++ standardization and Boost steering committees. As I listen in the Library Evolution Working Group I imagine what it must've been like for Beman and Dave to sit in similar meetings and ask themselves "wouldn't it be great if there were an online place that collects freely available C++ libraries and offers a peer-review process for incorporation? It'd be hugely beneficial for C++ users and the C++ standard as well." People get involved in Boost for many reasons. Some think it'll improve the chances they get their library standardized (and it's true!). Some think it'll improve their consulting or job prospects (true as well!). Others hone in on particular aspects, such as the build system, the people, or individual libraries. All these reasons are great, but for me the key was Boost's mission: to improve the way people code. At first it was more about improving the way I code, but as time went on it became more and more about helping others. For me, this is something worthwhile; worth sacrificing for. Now there are pros and cons with moving Boost to CMake, but at the center of all steering committee discussions has been the Boost mission. "How is this going to help us reach more users?" "How is this going to help us reach more developers?" "How is this going to impact the standard and the greater C++ community?" We may have made the wrong choice (though I doubt it). We may have communicated it in a non-ideal way. However, one thing is for sure: We made the decision based on furthering Boost's mission. A mission I want others to fall in love with like I have. So, we're moving to CMake. And, yes, we'll get there together. Many questions still exist and we'll have to figure out the answers as a community. The stalemate, however, is now over. -- David Sankel
On 19 July 2017 at 04:31, David Sankel via Boost
So, we're moving to CMake. And, yes, we'll get there together. Many questions still exist and we'll have to figure out the answers as a community.
Sorry but I have no desire to work with you, when you say things like this:
The CMake issue has been around for years and hasn't been able to progress primarily because "obviously biased" vocal minorities were holding it back with threats
You can't say such things about people, and then expect them to ignore it because "We may have communicated it in a non-ideal way". Cmake advocates have been consistently negative about boost contributors. I have no idea why you think this is the way to get people's support, but the fact that you do makes it hard to have any respect for your judgement. It's funny, as it looked like the cmake project was actually making some progress, but the discussion over the past few days have certainly set both it and boost back considerably. The cmake "community" seem to be utterly toxic.
participants (2)
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Daniel James -
David Sankel