Feedback on histogram::histogram (name reuse between namespace and class template)

[mattkretz]

Hi,

I'm currently doing some research for the C++ committee on naming. Specifically, I'm looking at whether std::foo::foo<T> (namespace foo and class/alias template foo) is a real problem or only FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt). Your community should have experience on that topic with boost::histogram::histogram<...>.

1. I would expect most users declare namespace hist = boost::histogram; after inclusion of the header and then use hist::histogram in the rest of the code, no?
2. Do you think (besides the less descriptive name), the situation would be different if histogram were consistently named hist in the boost headers? Because then you'd be writing hist::hist instead of hist::histogram. Is that repetition confusing to humans?
3. boost::histogram::histogram<...>::foo still appears in diagnostic output. Does that lead to any issues (because T::T looks like a constructor)?
4. My understanding is, that there's no technical issue and we only need to consider the "human issues"?
5. There's a perception in the C++ community (that I spoke to), that repetition of the namespace name in the type name inside that namespace should not pass code review. Is that a misconception that the C++ committee could/should leave behind?

Thanks!