FreeTDS Development Group

["Lowden, James K" <LowdenJK AT bernstein.com>]

> From: John M. Brewer [mailto:bizard AT propellerheads.com]
> Sent: October 18, 2002 1:08 PM
> 
> This link is geared toward porting to Mac OS X, but it 
> discusses libtool
> differences and how to identify different versions.  It 
> lists, as one of
> the identifying features of 1.4, the lack of ltconfig.  It is a little
> out of date, but it seemed relevant.
> 
> <http://fink.sourceforge.net/doc/porting/libtool.php>

Thanks, John.   I'm more convinced than ever I should hold my nose, install
what Nick and Steve are using, and hope the next toolchain upgrade is a long
way off.  

It turns out I'm not done ranting about this.  Press delete now if you don't
care.  

This must be the most broken most used project in the whole of free
software.  Practically every project depends on it, yet:

No FAQ.
No searchable ML archive.
No working docs (1.4.2 info files are broken).

The homepage says, "The CVS version of GNU libtool often depends on some yet
to be released versions of GNU Autoconf and GNU Automake."  Not just CVS
versions.  They don't bother to say what version of Autoconf is needed for a
*released* version of libtool.  Are they nuts?  

Some versions generate an ltconfig and some don't, apparently.  No warning,
no notice, no docs, no help.  No use.  

So, since I can't read about libtool, I'm supposed to subscribe to their
friggin' list, just to find out what by rights should be on the front page?
I mean, nice jpeg and all, but would a little critical information hurt?  

The design is broken, so of course the implementation is, too.  There should
be a database of tool signatures, and a database of tool-use sequences.  A
transformation engine would convert canonical input to idiosyncratic tool
command lines.  But no, we have monolithcity, a giant blundering
unapproachable body, with data fused to logic.  

No point in telling them, though.  Anyone who'd start down their road needs
to benefit from their experience on it first.  What a waste of time.  

I know: we need them.  But that doesn't mean they're doing a good job or are
working on a solid foundation.  It means their bailing wire is better than
what we could cobble together ourselves, which from where I sit is setting
the bar pretty low.  

Thanks for listening.  

--jkl


The information contained in this transmission may contain privileged and
confidential information and is intended only for the use of the person(s)
named above.  If you are not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent
responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, any
review, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this communication is
strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact
the sender immediately by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the
original message. Please note that we do not accept account orders and/or
instructions by e-mail, and therefore will not be responsible for carrying
out such orders and/or instructions.