Re: problem with 'configure' on AIX-4.3.3.0 (tar, fileutils)

[Paul Townsend]

On Mon, 17 Sep 2001 12:52:38 -0700 (PDT), Paul Eggert wrote:
> S N I P  . . .
>Anyway, the problem here is not limited to strerror; it occurs with
>other functions.  strerror is merely the canary that is sent into the
>mine.
> S N I P  . . .

After having read the various email I've received ala the `configure'
problem and having examined the suggested patch, the following questions
came to (my admittedly small (;-})) mind.

Isn't using "strerror" in a check for POSIX sort of like mixing apples
and oranges.  I don't know what the POSIX standards actually say but in
O'Reilly's "POSIX Programmer's Guide" it says "This function is required
by Standard C and is not part of the POSIX standard."

Is this a check for the "strerror" function, a check for a POSIX library
or both?  If it's the latter, should there be two tests, one for "POSIX"
and another for "strerror"?  If this is the case or if we are checking
just for POSIX, is there a <unique> POSIX function that could be
substituted for "strerror"?

--    Paul Townsend (address@hidden)