Re: Multi-platform build system

[Miles Bader]

Juanma Barranquero <address@hidden> writes:
>> but of course it's invaluable on unixy systems...]
>
> Of course. I still remember the fist time I compiled Perl on a Unix
> system, back in 1991. It used a tool similar to autoconf, and it did
> make funny comments when it was unable to find some libraries or it
> disliked your platform choice or the like. Very LarryWallesque.

Yeah I remember that well ... man those "funny" comments got on my
nerves after a while!!!

[The perl configuration system was also a little different, in that it
was not only really chatty, but also quite interactive, meaning you
had to sit there and answer questions (later I think an unattended
mode was added, but I'm not sure this completely eliminated
interaction) ... what stuff it did do automatically, tended to work
more by "examination" (grep /usr/include for XXX) than by actual
testing (run the compiler with an input program trying to use XXX).

Autoconf was no doubt inspired in part by perl's configure, but the
hands-free operation and real testing were a major advance over it,
from a user's point of view...]

-Miles

-- 
Cabbage, n. A familiar kitchen-garden vegetable about as large and wise as a
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