[Bug-gnuzilla] autoconf 2.13 not 2.69

[carl hansen]

building icecat 60.2.0

in configure:
"checking for autoconf...
ERROR: Could not find autoconf 2.13"

What's the deal? autoconf up to date is 2.69, why should I have to
reinstall old versions?

--
http://gnuzilla.gnu.org

[bill-auger]

Post by carl hansen
What's the deal? autoconf up to date is 2.69, why should I have to
reinstall old versions?

one good reason would be because that is the version that will allow
this program to compile properly

that is the very reason why software releases are versioned - if only
the newest version of every software was useful, then there would not
need to be any versions - we would all just rock whatevr is the current
HEAD today of the git master of each tool and dependency like our golang
and javascript friends do, cross our fingers, and hope for the best :)

--
http://gnuzilla.gnu.org

[carl hansen]

Post by bill-auger

Post by carl hansen
What's the deal? autoconf up to date is 2.69, why should I have to
reinstall old versions?

one good reason would be because that is the version that will allow
this program to compile properly

Well then, icecat should be changed to work with later autoconf.

Autoconf is a tool to make other software better/faster/more correct.
If autoconf has been improved , why shouldn't icecat development get
the benefits of those
improvements, by adjust icecat to work with it.

Also , then developers can just use latest version of autoconf
(likewise rest of toolchain)
and thus always have the benefits of the latest improvements.

Post by bill-auger
that is the very reason why software releases are versioned - if only
the newest version of every software was useful, then there would not
need to be any versions - we would all just rock whatevr is the current
HEAD today of the git master of each tool and dependency like our golang
and javascript friends do, cross our fingers, and hope for the best :)

We still have to hope for the best.

Post by bill-auger
--
http://gnuzilla.gnu.org

--
http://gnuzilla.gnu.org

[Mark H Weaver]

Post by carl hansen

Post by bill-auger

Post by carl hansen
What's the deal? autoconf up to date is 2.69, why should I have to
reinstall old versions?

one good reason would be because that is the version that will allow
this program to compile properly

Well then, icecat should be changed to work with later autoconf.

We should keep in mind that IceCat is not a truly independent project,
but rather is a slightly modified version of Firefox ESR. Every
modification made in IceCat compared with Firefox ESR carries with it a
maintenance cost. If we makee significant changes to Firefox's build
system, then we will need to track upstream changes to its build system
much more closely, and adapt our modifications accordingly.

In this case, I don't see a compelling benefit to justify the increased
maintenance cost, which I suspect would be quite significant.

Mark

--
http://gnuzilla.gnu.org

[carl hansen]

Post by Mark H Weaver

Post by carl hansen

Post by bill-auger

Post by carl hansen
What's the deal? autoconf up to date is 2.69, why should I have to
reinstall old versions?

one good reason would be because that is the version that will allow
this program to compile properly

Well then, icecat should be changed to work with later autoconf.

We should keep in mind that IceCat is not a truly independent project,
but rather is a slightly modified version of Firefox ESR. Every
modification made in IceCat compared with Firefox ESR carries with it a
maintenance cost. If we makee significant changes to Firefox's build
system, then we will need to track upstream changes to its build system
much more closely, and adapt our modifications accordingly.
In this case, I don't see a compelling benefit to justify the increased
maintenance cost, which I suspect would be quite significant.
Mark

Since you point out it is someone else's project, I agree with your
analysis and conclusion

--
http://gnuzilla.gnu.org