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Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 22:36:27 +0100
From: Werner Almesberger <Werner.Almesberger@epfl.ch>
To: "Matt D. Robinson" <yakker@alacritech.com>
Cc: Alexander Viro <viro@math.psu.edu>, LA Walsh <law@sgi.com>,
        lkml <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Linus's include file strategy redux
Message-ID: <20001215223627.U573@almesberger.net>
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Matt D. Robinson wrote:
> I personally think the definition of an environment variable to point to
> a header file location is the right way to go.

I see two disadvantages of this, compared to a script:
 - need to hard-code a default (unless we assume the variables are always
   set)
 - the way how environment variables are propagated

A script-based approach has the advantage that one can make a single
change (to a file) that instantly affects the whole local environment
(be this system-wide, per-user, or whatever). So there's no risk of
typing "make" to that forgotten xterm and an incompatible build
starts.

I like environment variables as a means to override auto-detected
defaults, though.

Also, environment variables don't solve the problem of conveniently
providing other compiler arguments (the kmodcc idea - the problem is
very old, but I think it's still not solved).

- Werner

-- 
  _________________________________________________________________________
 / Werner Almesberger, ICA, EPFL, CH           Werner.Almesberger@epfl.ch /
/_IN_N_032__Tel_+41_21_693_6621__Fax_+41_21_693_6610_____________________/
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