[Python-Dev] HP-UX clean-up

[Cameron Laird]

> From skip at mojam.com Wed Jan 07 11:53:13 2004
> Envelope-to: claird at phaseit.net
> From: Skip Montanaro <skip at pobox.com>
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> 		.
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>     Andrew> We therefore have to have flags that will force HP to compile
>     Andrew> for some common generic processor.

>     Skip> Can you submit a patch with these changes?

>     Cameron> You're losing me, Skip.  What, to you, would constitute "a
>     Cameron> patch"?

> Probably a patch to configure.in.  We set lots of platform- or OS-specific
> compilation flags there.

> Skip

Clearly.  I want to take this opportunity, though, to understand
attitude-intent-design, so that any patches in which I'm involved
will not merely imitate what (perhaps mistakenly) exists, but will
promote long-term usability and maintainability.  So:  when Mr.
MacKeith describes his situation, do those with the most configure
expertise regard it as a platform-specific instance of a cross-
platform condition, or ... well, I just think there's a lot more
to know to get configure.in right.

Uh-oh; I just realized there's another possibility.  Maybe we're
all more-or-less equally expert with the Python build process,
because all that anyone does is local imitation, without aspira-
tion to a higher design.  If so, that's no criticism of any one;
it would reflect well on Python's robustness that it hasn't needed
more deliberation or structure.

I think it's a good time for it, now, however.