9fans archive / 2000 / 11 / 33 /    prev next

From: Steve Kilbane <steve@whi...>
Subject: Re: [9fans] usage of CPU server 
Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2000 07:55:58 +0000

> A dependancy graph is a tiny subset of what you can construct with -n and
> friends, isn't it?

I can see both points of view here. In one corner, we have the point that
what make does is compare the dates on two files, and issue commands via
a shell accordingly. Scripts are written ("makefiles") that test different
pairs, and recursively invoke other parts of the script if necessary.

In the other corner, we note that "recursive" is not something a shell
is good at, what with global variables and all, and coding this thing in
a shell would get old fast, since much of what's being specified is so
similar apart from the the names. Sooner or later, a little language would
arrive to macro-generate the scripts, and you're most of the way to make
anyway.

It's true that make's job could be done by other means, but make handled
a particular problem well, and did so conveniently enough to be preferable
to such alternatives.

I note that mk continues in this vein, rather than being dumped for rc scripts.

steve