Re: [PATCH 1/2] Add additional build options for Interix, and remove obsolete ones.

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: May 26, 2011, 18:06 UTC
Message-ID: <7vboypxrp3.fsf@alter.siamese.dyndns.org>
In-Reply-To: <4DDDF339.4000703@gentoo.org>

Markus Duft <mduft@gentoo.org> writes:

Show 17 quoted lines

> On 05/25/11 16:15, mduft@gentoo.org wrote:
>
> (sorry for actually replying to the wrong mail - wasn't subscribed to the list (but am now.))
>
>>> The removed options are obsolete, because interix support now
>>> depends on libsuacomp.
>>
>> and linkage with -lsuacomp happens automatically without any change in the
>> Makefile for anybody?  Just asking, as I do not have an access to (nor any
>> particular desire to get an access to) an Interix to figure it out myself,
>> and the only think I care about in this patch is if it helps only your
>> installation or it will help everybody who has Interix but not necessarily
>> with the same set of additional configuration as you have.
>
> Yes. suacomp installs itself as libc.{a,so}. Of course the path to the
> suacomp prefix needs to be told to the compiler. Without it, interix (at
> least the newer versions) are near unusable,...

You are much more familiar with Interix than I am, and if you were the only person who uses Interix with git, I would buy that argument unconditionally.

How has one built and used git before suacomp days? Are these users extinct? Are there users who do not still use suacomp and for whatever reason do not want to use it, but still want to use git?

What I am getting at is that I have to come up with a description in the release notes, and I cannot decide what the entry for this change should say, and if I can stand behind that statement.

Here is one version, based on my reading of what you said so far:

 * The build procedure for Interix now requires use of suacomp. Older
   versions of Interix that are incompatible with suacomp are no longer
   supported. The Makefile does not automatically tell "the path to the
   suacomp prefix" to the compiler, so you would need to do that yourself.

Doesn't sound pretty, and I hesitate to stand behind such a statement. Abandoning obsoleted versions of obscure platform nobody cares about is fine, but at least we should make it clear who are being abandoned by saying which version. Also "needs to be told to the compiler" part needs some end-user explanation in Makefile ("set HAVE_SUACOMP=/usr/lib/suacomp when building on/for Interix", or something).

Here is another possible version (you would need to update your patch to support both):

 * On Interix, it is preferrable to use suacomp to build git, but the old
   way is still supported. Give HAVE_SUACOMP=/path/to/suacomp to Make (or
   override it in your config.mak) when building git.

That is more easily justifiable, but I cannot tell from this exchange with you how important to keep supporting the old way is (or if it is even possible).