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From: cks@white.toronto.edu (Chris Siebenmann)
Subject: Re: Peter's gripes
Message-ID: <90Feb1.192946est.27221@snow.white.toronto.edu>
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Organization: Ziebmef home away from home
References: <519@smcnet.UUCP> <KARL.90Jan18224915@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <_E7166Cxds13@ficc.uu.net> <64T#Y$@rpi.edu> <7V716AAxds13@ficc.uu.net> <1990Jan29.232907.12180@utzoo.uucp> <1990Jan30.041541.23578@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> <1990Jan30.185214.8197@utzoo.uucp> <2YF16X9xds13@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 2 Feb 90 00:31:15 GMT
Lines: 26

peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) writes:
| I haven't used the SunOS configuration garbage, no. But one bad
| example does not a proof make. I've installed programs under
| Configure, where each Makefile is built from a matching Makefile.SH
| under control of config.sh, and it's much easier to (a) use and (b)
| understand the resulting Makefiles.

 Perhaps I am just unlucky, but I have never had very much luck in
modifying or understanding a Configure setup once it has been created
(Makefiles, header files, etc). Even the most trivial changes like
changing compilers from "cc" to "gcc -traditional -fwritable-strings"
often require a full re-Configure.

 Worse yet, Configure is interactive and provides no way to save and
restore "canned" configurations. So every time I want to recompile
Perl on all the local types of machines I have to sit there for 10
minutes per machine typing in the same answers to the same questions
that it asked me last time around.

 Configure is wonderful for the first time user; it's decidedly
hostile the moment you step outside its bounds.

-- 
	"I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world."
			Number Ten Ox, "Bridge of Birds"
cks@white.toronto.edu		   ...!{utgpu,utzoo,watmath}!utcsri!white!cks