[clug] Why the autotools hate? (Was: Why isn't Java popular on the Linux Desktop?)

[Craig Small]

On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 03:22:25PM +1000, Jack Kelly wrote:
> I don't understand the hate for autotools. IME, it's the best of the
> systems that I've played with, both as a user and implementing build
> systems with them. I've also played with CMake and SCons, but taken
> issue with them and returned to the autotools.
There was the whole rpath thing which bit a lot of people a few years
ago and then there is a lot about the different versions which often
broke stuff in exciting ways.

The documentation is ok, but needs improvement.  The simple stuff it
works fine. Then you have a fiddly file, maybe one thats generated
source or something like that and the fun begins.

Though, given what I've seen some people do in Makefiles and the joy
that can bring when you are trying, for example, to package it, the
alternatives are often much worse.

 - Craig
-- 
Craig Small      GnuPG:1C1B D893 1418 2AF4 45EE  95CB C76C E5AC 12CA DFA5
http://www.enc.com.au/                             csmall at : enc.com.au
http://www.debian.org/          Debian GNU/Linux, software should be Free