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# Boost Formal Review Process

The Formal Review process determines if a proposed library should be accepted as a Boost library.

The final "accept" or "reject" decision is made by the Review Manager, based on review comments received from boost mailing list members.

Reviews are scheduled so that:

- Each library gets review time proportional to its size, complexity, and importance.
- Only a small number of libraries are under active review at any one time.
- Members know ahead of time when a particular library will be under active review.

## Comments

Boost mailing list members are encouraged to submit Formal Review comments:

> - Publicly on the mailing list.
> - Privately to the Review Manager.
> - Privately to the library submitter.

Private comments to a library submitter may be helpful to her or him, but won't help the Review Manager reach a decision, so the other forms are preferred.

## Preparing review comments

Comments may be brief or lengthy, but basically the Review Manager needs your answers to several questions. If you identify problems along the way, please note if they are minor, serious, or showstoppers.

- What is your evaluation of the design?
- What is your evaluation of the implementation?
- What is your evaluation of the documentation?
- What is your evaluation of the potential usefulness of the library?
- Did you try to use the library? With what compiler? Did you have 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?
- Finally, do you think the library should be accepted as a Boost library? Be sure to say this explicitly so that your other comments don't obscure your overall opinion.

## Results

At the conclusion of the comment period, the Review Manager will post a message to the mailing list saying if the library has been accepted or rejected. A rationale should be provided, but its extent is up to the Review Manager.

## Notes for Review Managers

Before a library can be scheduled for formal review, an active boost member not connected with the library submission must volunteer to be the "Review Manager" for the library.

The review manager:

- Checks the submission to make sure it really is complete enough to warrant formal review. See the Boost Library Requirements and Guidelines. If necessary, work with the submitter to verify the code compiles and runs correctly on several compilers and platforms.
- Sets the schedule, after discussion with the boost webmaster, currently Beman Dawes.
- Posts a notice of the review schedule on both the regular boost mailing list and the boost-announce mailing list.

> > The notice should include a brief description of the library and what it does, to let readers know if the library is one they are interested in reviewing.

- Inspects the Boost library catalogue for libraries which may interact with the new submission. These potential interactions should be pointed out in the review announcement, and the author(s) of these libraries should be privately notified and urged to participate in the review.
- Urges people to do reviews if they aren't forthcoming.
- Follows review discussions regarding the library, moderating or answering questions as needed.
- Decides if there is consensus to accept the library, and if there are any conditions attached.
- Posts a message on both the boost and boost-announce lists informing members of the review results.

In other words, it is the Review Manager's responsibility to make sure the review process works smoothly.

## Notes for Library Authors

A proposed library should remain stable during the review period; it will just confuse and irritate reviewers if there are numerous changes. It is, however, useful to upload fixes for serious bugs right away, particularly those which prevent reviewers from fully evaluating the library. Post a notice of such fixes on the mailing list.

Library improvements suggested by reviewers should be held until after the completion of review period. Such changes can then be incorporated in the final submission file sent to the webmaster for posting. If the suggested changes might affect reviewer's judgments, post a notice of the pending change on the mailing list.

Revised 11 October, 2001