Re: Why Jam?

From: bill_kempf (williamkempf_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-02-21 14:46:32

--- In boost_at_y..., Karl Nelson <kenelson_at_e...> wrote:
> > The perl ports I'm aware of are intrusive installations (as they 
> > probably should be), which the powers that be won't allow.  I 
know, 
> > I've looked into using python.  I'm lucky enough (for now) to be 
able 
> > to install it on my personal box simply because (temporarily at 
> > least) I'm exempt from the monitoring that most in this company 
are 
> > subject to.  But I couldn't extend this to include the build 
server.  
> > Based on feedback on here, I'm not the only one in this situation.
> 
> Can I read this as "IF AND ONLY IF we have full perl equivelents of
> the shell tools required to autoconf can boost use it." ?  
> If so where do I send the Perl scripts?   :-)
> I really really dislike Jam as the booststapping is a royal 
> pain just to replicate what virtually every unix box has already.
> Perl tools for cp, m4, sed, awk, sh, which just enough support
> for auto* tools really should not be large or invasive.

Again, the perl installations I'm aware of are invasive.  Granted I 
know little about this, so if there's a non-invasive alternative, 
fine.

By invasive I mean that it's not a single small executable, but 
instead includes several DLLs and actually integrates within the OS 
(usually hooking in to the Scripting Host).  The powers that be here 
have problems with such installations, and I can't really fault them 
for it.

If you give me a small, simple to "install" package, that does not 
modify the OS in any way and doesn't require a non-native shell, but 
still provides full autotools support (developer and client) then 
you'd go a long way towards changing my mind.  (Actually, I'd like to 
know of such a package in any event.)  I still dislike autotools, 
finding it a pain to use, but I could be persuaded to live with it.  
But that's only *my* opinion.  Others have had similar problems as 
me, and you'd have to convince them as well.

Bill Kempf