Re: [Boost-users] Getting started with Boost: what did you need to know?
I'm giving a talk about getting started with Boost (https://www.cmpevents.com/SDw6/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=271893) and I thought it would be a good idea to solicit input from those who have recently gone through the process. What do you wish someone had explained to you? With what did you need hand-holding? Based on this feedback I expect to make some improvements to the Boost website, also. Any information you can give me will be much appreciated. Personally, my biggest problem with getting started with boost was realizing that I should get started in the first place.
I'd had friends & coworkers mention boost, but to the new visitor, the website (as clean and readable as it is) doesn't do a good sell job for the product. It starts off well, saying that there's some sort of libraries to be had in here somewhere. But the first eight links the reader encounters have nothing to do with explaining why it is you might want to use these libraries. The ninth link, "Background information page," finally gives us a teaser, claiming our productivity will increase, but we still don't know why. Only the intrepid explorer who delves into the tiny "Documentation" link on the main page will be rewarded with a catalog of functionality. In short, I think the main page, the page that should be grabbing the casual surfer's attention, should at least highlight some of the functionality the consumer can expect from boost (cross-platform serialization, anyone? How about containers done right, or a well- designed thread package?), instead of devoting real estate and reader attention to links to random unix distros. Cheers, tob
Toby Smith wrote:
I'm giving a talk about getting started with Boost (https://www.cmpevents.com/SDw6/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=271893 https://www.cmpevents.com/SDw6/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=271893) and I thought it would be a good idea to solicit input from those who have recently gone through the process. What do you wish someone had explained to you? With what did you need hand-holding? Based on this feedback I expect to make some improvements to the Boost website, also. Any information you can give me will be much appreciated.
Personally, my biggest problem with getting started with boost was realizing that I should get started in the first place.
[snip]
In short, I think the main page, the page that should be grabbing the casual surfer's attention, should at least highlight some of the functionality the consumer can expect from boost (cross-platform serialization, anyone? How about containers done right, or a well-designed thread package?), instead of devoting real estate and reader attention to links to random unix distros.
I agree. I use Boost libraries as a matter of course in all my code, and think that all C++ programmers should do the same. What the site needs, in my view, on the front page is some sort of material selling Boost. Why was Boost set up in the first place? Because, in some areas, C++ is deficient, is difficult to use or expects too much of the programmer. Boost helps by providing what is useful but missing and takes a lot of the work out of C++ programming. Essentially, Boost needs to sell itself as something that no C++ programmer would want to be without. Think how the adman would write it: "C++ getting you down? Spending hours tracking down that memory leak? Then try Boost! It will change your life!" Well, maybe not, but something along these lines would certainly go a long way to showing why anyone should be using Boost. At the moment, the front page tells me is that the libraries are free, portable, peer-reviewed and work well with the C++ standard library, but that doesn't tell me why it is to anyone's advantage to use them. Paul
Paul Giaccone
Toby Smith wrote:
I'm giving a talk about getting started with Boost (https://www.cmpevents.com/SDw6/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=271893 https://www.cmpevents.com/SDw6/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=271893) and I thought it would be a good idea to solicit input from those who have recently gone through the process. What do you wish someone had explained to you? With what did you need hand-holding? Based on this feedback I expect to make some improvements to the Boost website, also. Any information you can give me will be much appreciated.
Personally, my biggest problem with getting started with boost was realizing that I should get started in the first place.
[snip]
What the site needs, in my view, on the front page is some sort of material selling Boost. Why was Boost set up in the first place? Because, in some areas, C++ is deficient, is difficult to use or expects too much of the programmer. Boost helps by providing what is useful but missing and takes a lot of the work out of C++ programming.
Good to know. Unfortunately it's not much help with my talk, since by the time people get there, they already know enough to spend 90 minutes with me looking into Boost. On second thought, I take it back. I do need to say something about why people should care about Boost if I want to keep them in the room, and I plan to.
Essentially, Boost needs to sell itself as something that no C++ programmer would want to be without. Think how the adman would write it: "C++ getting you down? Spending hours tracking down that memory leak? Then try Boost! It will change your life!" Well, maybe not, but something along these lines would certainly go a long way to showing why anyone should be using Boost. At the moment, the front page tells me is that the libraries are free, portable, peer-reviewed and work well with the C++ standard library, but that doesn't tell me why it is to anyone's advantage to use them.
Paul, if you can write some copy that works and generally receives a positive consensus from the Boost developers, I'm sure we'd use it. We're in the midst of a site redesign right now, and the time is ripe for new content. -- Dave Abrahams Boost Consulting www.boost-consulting.com
On 1/31/06, Paul Giaccone
Essentially, Boost needs to sell itself as something that no C++ programmer would want to be without.
[snip] There's a very important feature for newcomers in boost that could be exploited: headers-only implementations for lots of useful utilities (smart_ptr is a good example of this). This could be focused on the getting started section, attracting more programmers to try it out without needing to build all libraries. After using some parts of boost for a while they will probably fall in love with it and start discovering the other libraries (for curiosity, or as a immediate need). It could be emphasized in the documentation section too. It was there that I started digging to figure it out if boost was really something that I needed. The Getting Started section was only visited after concluding I really wanted to try it and see how it really worked.
Paul
Best regards, -- Felipe Magno de Almeida
participants (4)
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David Abrahams -
Felipe Magno de Almeida -
Paul Giaccone -
Toby Smith