Re: [PATCH 3/7] build: require Automake >= 1.11.6

[Erik Auerswald]

Hi Jim,

On 09/01/2012 09:55 PM, Jim Meyering wrote:
> Jim Meyering wrote:
> > Erik Auerswald wrote:
> ...
> > > > Good point.  Thanks.  I'm tempted to remove the build instructions from
> > > > README-prereq, and instead to include my autotools-install script under
> > > > script and referencing it.  WDYT?
> > >
> > > I prefer written build instructions to a script. The script could be
> > > offered as a help on distributions lacking current enough autotools.
> >
> > In that case, I'm happy to retain those instructions.
> > I think Pádraig also liked them.
> > Would one of you like to update README-prereq?
>
> However, if no one likes that part of README-prereq enough to
> update it, I'll be inclined to delete them, after all.
> Right now they're inconsistent, and maintaining them
> (along with the URLs in autotools-install) will be
> a maintenance burden.

I've just taken a closer look to that file, and I don't think the 
version info given there is helpful.

Anyway, the second sentence seems not quite right, I'd suggest the 
following change:

diff --git a/README-prereq b/README-prereq
index 66688dc..a38367a 100644
--- a/README-prereq
+++ b/README-prereq
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 This gives some notes on obtaining the tools required for development.
-I.E. the tools checked for by the bootstrap script and include:
+I.E. the tools checked for by the bootstrap script include:

 - Autoconf  <http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/>
 - Automake  <http://www.gnu.org/software/automake/>

I don't really like that either, but I do think that is more to the 
intended meaning.

How relevant is this info currently contained in README-prereq?

"Even if the official version of a package for your system is too old,
 please install it, as it may be required to build the newer versions."

I'd say keep this if correct, delete it if not. Replace the remainder of 
the file with a reference to scripts/autotools-install.

Perhaps something like the following?

"If your distributions packages are too old to build coreutils, you can 
install the current ones using scripts/autotools-install."

Seems to me Jim's original proposal has some merit after all. ;-)

Regards,
Erik