[LLVMdev] [cfe-dev] RFC: A proposal to move toward using C++11 features in LLVM & Clang / bounding support for old host compilers

["C. Bergström"]

On 10/30/13 08:24 AM, Richard Smith wrote:
>
>     May I humbly propose you create a c++11-development branch
>     now/later/anytime and let people start using that. In parallel to
>     that let people know that pieces of the c++11 branch will
>     potentially start merging Feb 1st 2014. (roughly 3 months from
>     today). This gives people time to review things before they hit
>     trunk, test, discuss and experiment in a way that virtual
>     discussions simply can't flush out. This hopefully won't hurt your
>     target of the release-after-next using more modern toolchains and
>     is *hopefully* a win-win in your view.
>
>
> I don't see how this helps anything. We don't /want/ to have the 
> hassle of some people developing on a branch and some on trunk, so we 
> would essentially have trunk stagnating and everyone developing on the 
> branch. And then we'd merge the branch back again. Net result: exactly 
> the same as if the people who aren't ready for c++11 stick with the 
> 3.4 release.
No its entirely not the same

1) Branch development is very common - I can't imagine *everyone* will 
use c++11 immediately and it causing some instant stall on trunk if a 
branch was made
2) As stated before - a branch lets a *real* discussion happen *before* 
it hits trunk. With any big feature change - isn't it best to be a 
little conservative instead of potentially break 1st and fix-it-later 
approach.

Right now we're having a virtual discussion about things which may/may 
not happen. A branch with code is a tangible which can allow *real* 
testing and feedback. I think it's being worked on independently, but I 
haven't even seen an updated style guide. I don't even know what's 
exactly being proposed at this time. "c++11" is still fuzzy...

clang/llvm has been around for 10 years?? Will waiting an extra month or 
doing some work in a branch 1st really kill anyone? Doesn't google and 
friends already use a branch model for development/test before it's merged.