[Novalug] Re: [Dclug] Learning automake and autoconf

[Kevin Dwyer]

On Tue, Nov 14, 2006 at 11:23:36PM -0500, Peter S. May wrote:
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> For some reason, probably because I'd like to be able to create a
> project that passes for real live software at some point, I decided I
> wanted to learn how to use automake and autoconf.  Now, there's a free
> book (<http://sources.redhat.com/autobook/autobook/autobook_toc.html>)
> about these things, but it's not exactly the smoothest reading so far.
> 
> Anyone with some degree of experience using the GNU autotools:  Is there
>  some tutorial or reference I should be looking at instead?  Should I
> stick with this one?  Does it get better?

The autotools are an interesting exercise in hacking the shell.  People
really should stop using them and start using more modern build suites
like scons or cons or ant (ok, maybe not ant) or something.  At the very
least, they replace make, who's time has come.

To answer your question: It doesn't get better.  I've seen it stated
that only about 30 people in the world know how to write a configure
script from scratch; the rest copy.  It's believable given the
difficulty.

-kpd