Re: [RFC PATCH] Makefile: Turn off the configure target by default

From: Jakub Narebski <jnareb@gmail.com>
Date: Oct 11, 2010, 15:18 UTC
Message-ID: <201010111718.39996.jnareb@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <4CB2FEB8.3050705@drmicha.warpmail.net>

Dnia poniedziałek 11. października 2010 14:10, Michael J Gruber napisał:

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> Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason venit, vidit, dixit 11.10.2010 11:40:
>> On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 08:39, Jakub Narebski <jnareb@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> But thanks to having ./configure optional step, we can build git also
>>> on platforms that doesn't have autoconf installed (though the same could
>>> be achieved by bundling ./configure script with release tarballs).
>> 
>> It already is built as part of the tarballs, at least for
>> http://kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/git-1.7.3.1.tar.bz2
> 
> Well, the point of my semi-serious RFC is that every so often, we have a
> variation on the following theme on the list:
> 
> - "Newbee" uses make configure && ./configure && make and can't build.

As Ævar writes this happen mostly because "newbee" doesn't have autoconf installed (and is not using released tarball, where ./configure script is included). Ævar solution is much better.

> - Helpful "oldbees" respond like "Duh! Use the Makefile".

This can happen because A.) "oldbee" doesn't use configure script himself, so he gives (universal) advice that he can check, or B.) because there is an error in both Makefile guessing and ./configure script doesn't detect or misdetect thing; then "Use the Makefile" can be considered workaround for the issue till bug gets fixed.

> configure is a second class citizen in git.git (we even explicitly
> .gitignore it - if you allow that lame joke),

We .gitignore 'configure' script because it is *generated* file, and generated files should be not, as rule, placed under version control.

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> But, really, the typical responses to build problems with configure
> indicate that most long timers don't use configure either, and probably
> don't feel too comfortable with it. So, I think we should either make
> the status quo clearer (Makefile as primary method) or change the status
> quo. I can only do the former ;)

Because ./configure script enhances Makefile rather than generate it, using configure script can only improve situation (at the cost of extra cycles spent detecting)... well, with exception of rare cases bugs in configure.ac making it misdetect.

-- 
Jakub Narebski
Poland