Rogue Wave also had a set of C++ wrappers for threads. I think it was called threads++. I found it cumbersome to use because it pulled in an enormous number of headers. I don't know what the Boost version is like but if you do implement something, do not include <pthread.h> in the class header. You can save all the local info using the PIMPL idiom.
The problem with someone else implementation comes when you want to use something new that is not implemented and you can't get at the necessary info because it is all hidden: that is unless they give you the source as well. Newer features like spinlocks may or may not be in.
Sometimes, only the subset that the implementor is familiar with are implemented. The stuff that the implementor cannot see a use for is not implemented and if you want to use it, you're really stuck. I had that with Rogue Wave and since the whole product was already based around Rogue Wave, I had to code around it but it was a pain and a half. It is swings and roundabouts - you may be better off with someone else's implementation, you may be better off with your own. Only you can decide that.
