Hello John Torjo, I don't know where to send my review of Boost.Factory library - therefore i send it to you. I hope, that until my next review i know it better, but today i must answer before the time to review has gone.
* What is your evaluation of the design? * What is your evaluation of the implementation?
I like, that the lib has direct support for smart pointer, because this is a normal technic in C++. But i often has the problem of a 2 phase initialisation. I don't like it, but i found it very often in practice. After the constructor for example i must call an init function. Or sometimes i must do things which are not possible in a constructor. I would like, if the factory would support such mechanism. I would like a third (or better an second template argument, and the allocator become the third argument), which is a policy class for the two phase construction. After the new the factory call a static function in the policy class. Default policy is a class which does nothing. But here I can write a class, which calls e.g. a init function or other things. Second I would like a name like factory_ptr or factory_pointer more than only factory for the class. It shows more whats the problem domain of the factory, and stands more in parallel to factory_value.
* What is your evaluation of the documentation?
I would like a better motivation. I have discuss the lib with a friend to understand why I need such a lib. I think, not everybody (I include) has a deep understanding of modern C++ technics, and therefore a better motivation with two more detailed examples would help the beginners.
* What is your evaluation of the potential usefulness of the library?
I think, the lib addresses a seldom problem. That's why I need some time to understand the motivation. Perhaps it is a normal problem if the user has more knowlegde about all STL and Boost libs. But I love it, if there is a "standard" way of doing things, because it makes the code more readable. Therefore I like small libs for not often problems too. I could solve the problem every time with some small functions without a lib, but with the lib I don't need this small code, and my code becomes more readable.
* Did you try to use the library? With what compiler? Did you have any problems?
I have make some little examples and compiles them with the Microsoft Visual Studio 2003 (MSV 7.1) without any problems.
* How much effort did you put into your evaluation? A glance? A quick reading? In-depth study? * Are you knowledgeable about the problem domain?
I have taken 2 hours to read the documentation, to study the header and the implemenation and to play with some examples.
And finally, every review should answer this question:
* Do you think the library should be accepted as a Boost library?
Yes. I think the library should accepted to Boost, but with the three discussed extensions: - Better name for factory: factory_ptr or factory_pointer. - Better motivation for beginners in the docu. - Extension with a third template parameter for e.g. 2 phase construcion. Greetings Detlef Wilkening -- http://John.Torjo.com -- C++ expert ... call me only if you want things done right