-----Original Message----- From: boost-bounces@lists.boost.org [mailto:boost-bounces@lists.boost.org] On Behalf Of David Abrahams

"Brian Braatz" <brianb@rmtg.com> writes:

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[Brian Braatz Writes:]

What are the expectations here? I find myself in this spot frequently. I see something up for review, and it ALWAYS happens at the worst time for me. I look at it, but I tend to not say much unless I can REALLY devote the time needed to give the library the proper amount of review time.

There might be "no answer" to the expectations questions. But I would be curious how others feel about this.

I.e. If I only have an hour or two to look at something- is it still useful for me to submit a review?

[David Abrahams Writes:]

Whenever you feel like you can say something useful. I often have something useful to say after looking at the first few pages of documentation.

[Brian Braatz Writes:] Good advice. After contemplating that advice, I took 20 mins to look at the function types lib- and immediately saw some issues (as you said, after the first few pages). (will write them up this evening).

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Part of the problem I have is an enormous respect for what a boost library is. It is not something one slaps together just to get their name in lights (to me at least). A boost library makes you go "Wow". if it doesn't make you go "Wow" it doesn't belong in boost.

:)

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But if I cannot devote the time needed to review something DEEPLY, I feel it is somewhat disrespectful for me to participate.

Do you guys think I am wrong to feel this way? Or do you find the opinions of a quick review valuable?

I do.

[David Abrahams Writes:]

Personally, I think too many libraries have been accepted recently with insufficient scrutiny. There are certainly a few I would have liked to have seen challenged along the lines of "this doesn't make me go wow," or "does the world really need this library?"

[Brian Braatz Writes:] Hmm.. Here is an idea: what-cha think- We should add a "Wow" factor to the lib review template. I dunno, maybe something like "Rate the WOW factor of this library:(1-5)" (now that I have made the suggestion, here comes the controversy (grin)) the question then becomes what if a library, gets all 1's. Does it still get accepted? I say no, there are plenty of "YET-ANOTHER-X" libraries out there already. I say, (more controversy) that something can have a semi-boring functional use, but it's implementation, at the very least should have some "Wow" in it. hmmm... I will continue to contemplate these thoughts. Hard to see the dark side is....