All: I am going to propose a slight change of tack for Boost, and I may well be shot down for it; but first some context: <Context> After a series of language wars and what not at work, and coming to no resolution quickly (this I should note was well over a year ago now), I forwarded some proposals in private to our Consultancy Director, who came back and told me to just go ahead and act on them (effectively to develop a series of libs to underpin the next decade of our work); all the while the geese gaggled over C++, Java, Fortran, Python and almost anything else (the idea was to consolidate effort; there were too many languages, and too many specialities inside a small group). Needless to say, I coded in C++ and introduced Boost into the fray. The case now is that everyone now has their own ideas about which repository of third party tools are best - none though have an understanding of Boost, or seriously contemplate to study what it has to offer - despite now being a fundamental cornerstone of our future work (I'd like to think that it's just the natural response to change, I certainly hope it's nothing more though). </Context/> I am beginning to think that people pass over Boost for one of three reasons: a lack of exposure (be it junior or senior developers, and line managers with little or no development background); misplaced perceptions; or absent cognizance of how Boost can improve the quality and efficiency of C++ code. We need to make serious in-roads into Boost's image and reach into the community, developers and non-developers alike - something I think a lot of Boosters do seriously contemplate; I am just hoping to push the discussion beyond the bicycle shed, so to speak. As said above, I may be shot down for this proposal, but here it goes: Under the pretext of my argument, I think it would be a good idea if Boost had as part of its offical web-site, an area where commercial enterprise can list their use of Boost in their projects. It's blatant advertising I know, and much against the grain of what Boost stands for - we even have policy not to advertise commercial products in this forum (which I whole heartedly agree with). -Nonetheless we need to find ways, at least in some small crevice of the Boost web-site to advertise the use of Boost in industry. This is a tack clearly aimed at those unfamiliar with Boost, line managers, and developers alike without Boost experience can at least associate a product that they use, and say: "... oh, so Boost is behind much of that"; -it inspires confidence for take-up of the work and libraries here. It need not be said as a result of the above propsal, Boost becomes buoyed by perceptions of wider adoption, and commercial enterprise has another signpost to advertise the quality its processes by associating itself with Boost. Lastly, let me note that like everyone else here, I much value and want to safeguard the collegiate environment that makes up this group and do not want that to be compramised. -Please, let's get the ball rolling, maybe there are other suggestions far better than the one I've presented, and maybe convincing arguments against what I am advocating, but again, let's seriously consider ways to change our image for our greater good. If you got this far ... thanks for listening. And if I've stepped on a few toes, I do apolgize. Cheers, -- Manfred Doudar MetOcean Engineers www.metoceanengineers.com