I agree completely. If the default is yes, the check for $TOOLDIR should
   be inside the usage of USETOOLS and shouldn't be the determining factor in
   turning on USETOOLS.
   
   I've had builds act "weird" just in forgetting to set my $DESTDIR sometimess.
   
   The last thing I'd want is to not have $TOOLDIR set and get 
   possible compiler/assembler/lint/make/etc (just to make 4 tools that have
   changed and required UPDATING notes) errors to debug. By silently turning
   off USETOOLS if $TOOLDIR is unset this is exactly what you'd get. Behaviors
   should be explicit here, not implicit.



actually, the above is an argument against the change you made to
the kernel makefile's, ie USETOOLS?=no.  the i386 assembler changes
needed a new gas installed for kernel compiles.  bzzt.



.mrg.