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| <div class="section"> |
| <div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"> |
| <a name="spirit_repository.preface"></a><a class="link" href="preface.html" title="Preface">Preface</a> |
| </h2></div></div></div> |
| <a name="spirit_repository.preface.the_spirit_repository"></a><h4> |
| <a name="id759774"></a> |
| <a class="link" href="preface.html#spirit_repository.preface.the_spirit_repository">The Spirit |
| Repository</a> |
| </h4> |
| <p> |
| The <a href="http://spirit.sourceforge.net" target="_top">Spirit</a> repository is |
| a community effort collecting different reusable components (primitives, directives, |
| grammars, etc.) for <span class="emphasis"><em>Spirit.Qi</em></span> parsers and <span class="emphasis"><em>Spirit.Karma</em></span> |
| generators. All components in the repository have been peer reviewed and/or |
| discussed on the <a href="http://www.nabble.com/The-Spirit-Parser-Library-f3430.html" target="_top">Spirit |
| General List</a>. The aim is to broaden the scope of the <a href="http://spirit.sourceforge.net" target="_top">Spirit</a> |
| library while being able to maintain its high standards in terms of code quality, |
| flexibility, and maintainability. At the same time it encourages people to |
| contribute even small components as it lessens the hurdle of becoming a <a href="http://www.boost.org/" target="_top">Boost</a> and <a href="http://spirit.sourceforge.net" target="_top">Spirit</a> |
| author. |
| </p> |
| <p> |
| Maintainability of the code and author commitment over a longer period of time |
| are crucial for <span class="emphasis"><em>Spirit's</em></span> success (as it is for the whole |
| <a href="http://www.boost.org/" target="_top">Boost</a> project). That allows the |
| repository to play an additional role in terms of being a proving ground for |
| interested authors. It is a lot easier to remove code from the repository than |
| from the <span class="emphasis"><em>Spirit</em></span> core library. So if an author can't maintain |
| his/her contribution anymore for any reason, we are able to remove those parts |
| from the repository more easily. |
| </p> |
| <p> |
| The repository is an excellent way of evolving things. The <span class="emphasis"><em>Spirit</em></span> |
| core has been developed for years, so we have a certain confidence of it being |
| properly designed and exposing a proven API. On the other hand, new ideas often |
| need some time to 'come to the point'. Changing API's is part of this business. |
| At the same time changing API's always mean user disruption, which we want |
| to keep to a minimum. Again, changing things in the repository is ought to |
| be a lot easier than in the core library. |
| </p> |
| <p> |
| The quality of contributions is another key to success. That includes not only |
| the code itself, but takes into consideration such things as documentation, |
| tests, examples. The authors activity on the mailing list is related as well, |
| it's an important point. Only well supported things will evolve over time into |
| usable, high quality components. The mandatory discussions and the review of |
| contributions on the <a href="http://www.nabble.com/The-Spirit-Parser-Library-f3430.html" target="_top">Spirit |
| General List</a> ensure the targeted high quality standards. |
| </p> |
| <p> |
| Based on the user feedback and general usability of things it it possible over |
| time to move repository components<span class="emphasis"><em>grammars into the /Spirit</em></span> |
| core library. |
| </p> |
| <a name="spirit_repository.preface.how_to_use_this_manual"></a><h4> |
| <a name="id759903"></a> |
| <a class="link" href="preface.html#spirit_repository.preface.how_to_use_this_manual">How to use |
| this manual</a> |
| </h4> |
| <p> |
| Some icons are used to mark certain topics indicative of their relevance. These |
| icons precede some text to indicate: |
| </p> |
| <div class="table"> |
| <a name="id759921"></a><p class="title"><b>Table 1. Icons</b></p> |
| <div class="table-contents"><table class="table" summary="Icons"> |
| <colgroup> |
| <col> |
| <col> |
| <col> |
| </colgroup> |
| <thead><tr> |
| <th> |
| <p> |
| Icon |
| </p> |
| </th> |
| <th> |
| <p> |
| Name |
| </p> |
| </th> |
| <th> |
| <p> |
| Meaning |
| </p> |
| </th> |
| </tr></thead> |
| <tbody> |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| <span class="inlinemediaobject"><img src="../images/note.png" alt="note"></span> |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Note |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Generally useful information (an aside that doesn't fit in the flow |
| of the text) |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| <span class="inlinemediaobject"><img src="../images/tip.png" alt="tip"></span> |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Tip |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Suggestion on how to do something (especially something that not |
| be obvious) |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| <span class="inlinemediaobject"><img src="../images/important.png" alt="important"></span> |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Important |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Important note on something to take particular notice of |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| <span class="inlinemediaobject"><img src="../images/caution.png" alt="caution"></span> |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Caution |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Take special care with this - it may not be what you expect and may |
| cause bad results |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| <span class="inlinemediaobject"><img src="../images/alert.png" alt="alert"></span> |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| Danger |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <p> |
| This is likely to cause serious trouble if ignored |
| </p> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| </tbody> |
| </table></div> |
| </div> |
| <br class="table-break"><p> |
| This documentation is automatically generated by Boost QuickBook documentation |
| tool. QuickBook can be found in the <a href="http://www.boost.org/tools/index.html" target="_top">Boost |
| Tools</a>. |
| </p> |
| <a name="spirit_repository.preface.support"></a><h4> |
| <a name="id760179"></a> |
| <a class="link" href="preface.html#spirit_repository.preface.support">Support</a> |
| </h4> |
| <p> |
| Please direct all questions to Spirit's mailing list. You can subscribe to |
| the <a href="http://www.nabble.com/The-Spirit-Parser-Library-f3430.html" target="_top">Spirit |
| General List</a>. The mailing list has a searchable archive. A search link |
| to this archive is provided in <a href="http://spirit.sourceforge.net" target="_top">Spirit</a>'s |
| home page. You may also read and post messages to the mailing list through |
| <a href="news://news.gmane.org/gmane.comp.spirit.general" target="_top">Spirit General |
| NNTP news portal</a> (thanks to <a href="http://www.gmane.org" target="_top">Gmane</a>). |
| The news group mirrors the mailing list. Here is a link to the archives: <a href="http://news.gmane.org/gmane.comp.parsers.spirit.general" target="_top">http://news.gmane.org/gmane.comp.parsers.spirit.general</a>. |
| </p> |
| </div> |
| <table xmlns:rev="http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~gregod/boost/tools/doc/revision" width="100%"><tr> |
| <td align="left"></td> |
| <td align="right"><div class="copyright-footer">Copyright © 2001-2010 Joel de Guzman, Hartmut Kaiser<p> |
| Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying |
| file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at <a href="http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt" target="_top">http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt</a>) |
| </p> |
| </div></td> |
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