Re: Libtool 1.4.3

[Sascha Schumann]

> I developed/maintain the configure script for ImageMagick.  While the
> total lines in the generated configure script is meaningless, it is
> less than 1/2 of what you report for PHP, and PHP's configure script
> is 4-8X larger than typical configure scripts for other large packages
> (e.g. 4X larger than the configure script for OpenSSH).  This seems
> odd to me.

    There is lot of redundancy included which might be the reason
    for the slow down.  I have thought about using shell
    functions instead of expanding m4 macros all the time.  That
    might improve things a bit.

> Having adopted every new Autoconf which has been released, I can
> happily say that as long as you avoid using undocumented Autoconf
> internals, it is not particularly difficult to make the minor
> modifications required to stay current.

    PHP's system has been supporting autoconf 2.50 since its
    inception.  2.5x is a burden on the developer's though who
    improve the build system.  The more time an edit/build cycle
    takes, the less likely someone will try to make modifications
    and/or test them properly.

> I don't believe that the decision by some factions to stick with a
> particular Autoconf software version for the rest of time should be
> allowed to hinder the development of Libtool.

    Well, if it is possible for a complex framework as ours to
    maintain compatibility, there should be only few reasons why
    it cannot work for libtool as well.  Of course, whoever
    spends their time on libtool development gets to make the
    final decision.

    - Sascha