From: vruz <horacio.lopez@...>
Date: 2004-10-12T21:07:06+09:00
Subject: Re: autoconf for ruby

> > This is plain incorrect.  It was much, much easier to understand
> > configure scripts etc before the introduction of autotools.  The
> > problem is that sh is a horrible target language for a compiler, and
> > M4 is a horrible implementation language for a compiler.
> 
> Yeah, it's a nasty space where you can't guarantee any tools but sh
> and C. It's not a fun place to start your bootstrapping -- I'm glad
> that Ruby has mkmf.rb, and extconf.rb -- for the domain of
> systems-already-with-Ruby, it's far better than configure.


From 'the goat book' on 'autotools'
http://sources.redhat.com/autobook/autobook/autobook_191.html#SEC191

 

-- 
--- vruz