-----Original Message----- From: boost-bounces@lists.boost.org [mailto:boost-bounces@lists.boost.org] On Behalf Of Markus Werle Sent: 08 January 2007 16:31 To: boost@lists.boost.org Subject: Re: [boost]Review Request: Statistical Distributions and Mathematical Special Functions
John Maddock <john <at> johnmaddock.co.uk> writes:
The "Math Toolkit" has now matured to the point where Paul Bristow and I would like to ask for a formal review.
Some comments before the review begins (If you allow):
Comments are very welcome now - many of the more minor matters can be resolved before they confuse the review.
Also I dislike: "The definition used here is that used by Wolfram MathWorld" since by this the docs are neither self-contained nor robust against some idiot buying and shutting down the cited sites. I am sure, even wikipedia will vanish some day due to some more internet restrictions evolved from the pseudo-war against terror (alias war against freedom) or some idiot holding a software patent affecting the whole community.
I think you are being rather pessimistic here - if these sites go, Boost could too :-(( However we have also included some references to books and academic journals as well, but the overall size (nearly 2 Mbyte & over 250 pages in pdf already, from 25 Mbyte of Quickbook sources!) is also an issue. Not to mention the work in producing the documentation ;-) So I hope we have struck a reasonable balance here.
What I also dislike is the existence of default typedefs for double (students_t et al.). This is unnecessary and makes double a special type which it is not.
Well I think that double IS special - because over 95% of users will be just using double throughout. So we have tried to make it easier and less verbose to use double by providing the typedefs. It seems a reasonable compromise to me. Paul PS I am sure John will also comment on other items. --- Paul A Bristow Prizet Farmhouse, Kendal, Cumbria UK LA8 8AB +44 1539561830 & SMS, Mobile +44 7714 330204 & SMS pbristow@hetp.u-net.com