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<h1>Frequently Asked Questions</h1>
<p><b>How is a library accepted for posting on the site?</b> An initial review by the
library master filters out libraries which do not meet the absolute requirements (must be
C++, ownership clear, reasonable format, etc.) The author is free to rework and
resubmit libraries which do not pass initial muster. This is encouraged, particularly when
reviewers like the idea behind a library but feel that details are lacking.</p>
<p><b>Is there any assurance libraries actually work as claimed?</b> No. The review
process will hopefully eliminate the most seriously flawed libraries, but a well
constructed library with hidden defects is likely to slip through. Encouraging ordinary
users to report their experience with a library is intended to address such concerns. </p>
<p><b>How does someone submit a comment?</b> Send email to <a
href="mailto:boost@egroups.com">boost@egroups.com</a>. </p>
<p><strong>How does someone submit a library?</strong> See <a href="lib_guide.htm">Library
Guidelines</a></p>
<p><b>Are commercial libraries requiring a fee acceptable?</b> No. However, a library that
a commercial enterprise makes available without fee is acceptable. If the description of
the library makes a low-key plug for the supplier, that is acceptable as long as the
library delivers real value and isn’t just a Trojan horse for the plug.</p>
<p><b>Are shareware libraries acceptable?</b> No. At least initially, only free libraries
will be accepted.</p>
<p><strong>Are open source license libraries acceptable?</strong> No, not currently.
Open source licenses often require redistribution or availability of source code,
inclusion of license document with machine-executable redistribution, give the initial
developer rights to licensee modifications, and need a lawyer to understand. These
would be immediate disqualifications for many business, commercial, and consumer
applications. Boost aims to avoid subjecting users to hard-to-comply-with license terms.<br>
<br>
This is subject to review for a particularly important piece of software, or as the
industry changes.</p>
<p><b>Must full source code be provided?</b> Yes, these are source code libraries.</p>
<p><b>What about documentation?</b> A very simple library might be accepted with only a
well commented header file. For more substantial libraries, some form of documentation is
certainly going to be expected. HTML is the preferred form.</p>
<p><b>Are platform specific libraries acceptable?</b> There is a preference for portable
libraries. Libraries will be accepted that have portable interfaces but require platform
specific implementations, as long as the author supplies implementations for a couple of
disparate major operating systems.</p>
<p><b>Must a library do useful work? </b>No. A library meant as a teaching example or
demonstration might not actually do any work.</p>
<p><b>Who owns the libraries?</b> Presumably many authors will copyright their libraries.
Others authors may wish to place their libraries in the public domain. The Boost.org
policy is to only accept libraries with a clear copyright notice. It is up to
potential users to decide if they find the copyright terms acceptable, and to not use
libraries with unacceptable copyrights.</p>
<p><b>What support is available for the libraries?</b> Try the <a
href="mailto:boost@egroups.com">boost@egroups.com</a> mailing list. </p>
<p><b>Is there a relationship between Boost.org and the C++ Standards Committee?</b>
No. The people who started Boost.org were all on the committee, but that was just
happenstance.</p>
<p><b>Will the Boost.org libraries become part of the next C++ Standard?</b> Some
might, someday off in the future, but that is up to the standards committee. To the
extent a library becomes "existing practice", the likelihood increases that
someone will propose it for future standardization. Submitting a library to Boost.org is
one way to establish existing practice - as long as enough people are interested to
download and use it!</p>
<p><b>Is the site a commercial business?</b> No. It is just some people getting together
as a kind of cyberspace civic association. If it ever needs to incorporate, it would be as
non-profit organization.</p>
<p><b>Is there any charge for submitting libraries or reviews to Boost.org?</b> No. Unlike
the standards committees, you don’t have to pay to volunteer!</p>
<p><b>Will the site include material beyond libraries?</b> The main focus is on libraries,
but if people contribute occasional articles or other material to make the site more
interesting, that could be a nice fit.</p>
<p><strong>How do I unzip the distribution files on my [whatever] computer?</strong>
The .zip format is used for distribution because there are free decoders and
encoders available for many, many different platforms. See the <a
HREF="http://www.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/">Info-ZIP</a> web site, which includes a FAQ and
much other useful information about the .zip format. Many commercial compressor-archiver
utilities also support this format.</p>
<p>-- End of FAQ --</p>
<p>Revised May 17, 1999</p>
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