Re: CVS commit: src

[Alan Barrett <apb%cequrux.com@localhost>]

On Sat, 28 Feb 2009, Jonathan Perkin wrote:
> Well, we could argue that back and forth, but my point is that I think
> 
>   $ ./build.sh -h
>   ./build.sh: bad substitution
> 
> is a terrible first experience for users of build.sh on Solaris

If there is documentation that purports to explain how to run build.sh,
but that doesn't mention that you need a POSIX shell, then that
documentation should be fixed.  The comments in build.sh itself look
fine to me, but src/BUILDING could be significantly improved.

Anyway, if people are trying to run build.sh without reading
documentation, then we can probably make it perform a few self tests and
print a useful error message (or re-exec itself) if it finds that it's
being run under a bad shell.  I'll look into doing that.

> Given the intended purpose of the script is to be as cross-platform as
> possible, and the relative ease of making it work on crappy /bin/sh's, I
> think the benefits outweight any potential loss of aesthetics.

Sorry, but I am not willing to rewrite build.sh or any other shell
scripts to work in ancient shells.  It's much easier to require a modern
shell.  Even Solaris has a modern shell available (in /usr/xpg4/bin/sh).

--apb (Alan Barrett)