Re: libtool 'make dist' violates free software principles

[Bruce Korb]

Bob Friesenhahn wrote:
> 
> The libtool makefiles contain code which is designed to ensure that
> the user can not perform a 'make dist' to create a libtool
> distribution with local changes unless the user has FSF CVS commit
> access.  This error message is printed and make stops:
> 
>   "Cannot make dist before commit"
> 
> This violates the GPL principle that users should be allowed to create
> their own distributions of free software packages.

It violates another principle:  if a tool has the ability to do
the task that I want it to do, and if I have communicated that
request to the tool in a way that it should understand (e.g.,
``make dist''), then, by golly, it should do everything in its
power to accomplish the task.  Most likely, a tool user knows
his needs better than the tool.