Re: Bug#88029: allow rules file to be non-makefile
On Thu, Mar 01, 2001 at 12:36:43AM -0600, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> So far, the arguments I have heard for removing this
> restrictions have been
> b) Makefiles can be really hard to write!!
FWIW I didn't say that.
> I guess my objection to this reduction of standardization is
> that there should be some inertia in policy, and that we need to see
> some stronger technical reasons to break the following practices:
>
> i) make -n -p -f ./debian/rules
> ii) in ./makefile: include ./debian/rules
>
> Yes, pretty arcane; but I contend that this argument is no
> weaker than any I have seen in support of this proposal.
These two things aren't demanded by Policy AFAICT, it just so happens that
they're possible to be done. Had we used perl or shell as rules file
previously, there would be similar things that would be made nonstandard by
allowing e.g. makefiles.
It's basically a choice between conservatively sticking to the standard, and
allowing some innovation within the standard. Neither route is ultimately
positive, of course, but I'd think that in a place as diverse as Debian is,
diversity would be the preferred option.
--
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