Bug#598044: ITP: autoconf-dickey -- automatic configure script builder (Thomas Dickey's version)

[Sven Joachim <svenjoac@gmx.de>]

On 2010-09-25 23:29 +0200, Joerg Jaspert wrote:

> On 12249 March 1977, Sven Joachim wrote:
>
>> * Package name    : autoconf-dickey
>>   Version         : 2.52-20100814
>>   Upstream Author : David MacKenzie
>>                     Thomas Dickey
>> * URL or Web page : http://invisible-island.net/autoconf/autoconf.html* License         : GPLv2+
>>   Description     : automatic configure script builder (Thomas Dickey's version)
>
>>  This hacked version of autoconf is required to bootstrap ncurses and
>>  some other packages maintained upstream by Thomas Dickey. It should
>>  not be used for other purposes.
>
>> Yet another autoconf version, as if the four that we already have in the
>> archive weren't enough. :-(  But it is needed for ncurses if we ever
>> need to patch configure.in, see #580190.
>
> And its not possible to fixup the idiot who uses an own autoconf
> version?

Considering that his dispute with the GNU Autoconf maintainers
originates in the last millennium and he's been maintaining his patches
for twelve years or so, the answer is: no, that is not possible.

> Or if that doesn't work, replace the shit in his source by something that
> works with all the lot we already have?

Given that 

- Thomas makes extensive use of the features that he introduced in
  his patched autoconf version and that were rejected by the GNU
  maintainers;

- his fork is based on a very old autoconf version (2.52) that we don't
  have, and I have no idea what would break if we patch out the
  incompatible macros and use either autoconf2.59 or autoconf2.13;

- ncurses' configure.in changes very frequently (patches for ncurses are
  released weekly, and about every second-third patch touches
  configure.in);

this would be a maintenance nightmare.  An autoconf wizard that wants to
tackle this task is welcome to join the ncurses team and try, but I'm
not going to do that.  That hypothetical wizard should also have a look
at xterm, lynx-cur and possibly other packages that are maintained by
Thomas Dickey to bring them in line with Policy §2.2.1.

Regards,
        Sven