Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-crg.llnl.gov!casey
From: casey@lll-crg.llnl.gov (Casey Leedom)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Set of fixes to contrib ...
Message-ID: <16543@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV>
Date: 13 Jan 89 03:02:24 GMT
Sender: usenet@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV
Reply-To: casey@lll-crg.llnl.gov (Casey Leedom)
Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lines: 63


  I've made a lot of fixes to the contributed software in X.V11R3 mostly
to do with simplifying and integrating configuration and installation.  I
haven't posted any of them prior to this because I felt it was more
important that I get my fixes to the core software out.

  But it seems reasonable to post them now with my recent suggestion
about qualifying future acceptance of contributed software on presense on
an Imakefile.  Even more specifically, I believe that all contributed
software should be put to the following test by the X Window System group
before acceptance:

	% edit Imakefile
	% make Makefile TOP=...
	% make
	% make install
	% make install.man
	% make clean

  There are obviously some programs which are written for specific
architectures (Sun, Vax, etc.), but they should at least compile and
install on that machine!  Note also that the edit phase on Imakefile
should be as simple as possible.  No package should require more than
simple configuration choice editing of Imakefile and at most one other
file.

  You may think this overly restrictive, but as David Tillbrook said,
"Why should I waste my time with your software if you weren't ready to
finish it?"  Installation configuration documentation and control files
are part of any project.  If you haven't done the work to make that
documentation and your control files work, the software isn't finished.

  I'll take this opportunity to complement the X Window System people
again on the fine job they've done along these lines in the core
distribution.  If we can only get the contributed software up to the same
standards the whole task of dealing with X will be a lot simpler and more
pleasant.

  The following notes will cover:

	Skeleton Imakefiles/Makefiles in all the contrib interior nodes
	clients/xbgsun
	clients/xcalendar
	clients/xdvi
	clients/xfig
	clients/xlock
	clients/xmessage
	clients/xperfmon
	clients/xplaces
	clients/xpref
	clients/xstring
	clients/xtools
	fonts/utils/bdf2vf
	fonts/utils/bdf2vf
	fonts/utils/bdfresize
	fonts/utils/mac2bdf
	fonts/utils/vf2bdf
	fonts/utils/xfed
	fonts/utils/xfed.ncd
	windowmgrs/awm
	windowmgrs/twm

Casey