Re: SunOS4 compatibility (was: automake/533: DISTFILES containing a directory and files in that directory)

[Bob Friesenhahn]

On Sun, 22 Mar 2009, Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> Oh brother.  According to autoconf.info, SunOS4 'cp' did not support the
> -f option.  Anyone think we still need 'make dist' to work there?

I don't think that support for 'make dist' on a bare system is 
necessary.  This is not even close to a modern system that a developer 
will use.

> Does anyone have access to such a system any more?
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SunOS> states it is from 1988.

It is likely that systems still exist.  They are worth maintaining for 
their historical significance alone.  It is useful if GNU software (of 
some vintage) can build on them.  SunOS4 'cp' was easily replaced with 
a GNU version so there is a work-around.  As for myself, I don't think 
that I have logged into a SunOS4 system since 1996.

Bob
--
Bob Friesenhahn
address@hidden, http://www.simplesystems.org/users/bfriesen/
GraphicsMagick Maintainer,    http://www.GraphicsMagick.org/