autoconf (was: Compatability with FreeBSD Ports)

[Claus Assmann]

On Fri, Aug 12, 2005, Andreas Hauser wrote:

> > I maintain two fairly large software packages: one is configured

> You .include bsd.port.mk and use PTHREAD_CFLAGS and PTHREAD_LIBS ;)

That works fine on all of these:
386BSD A-UX AIX Altos BSD-OS CLIX CRAYT3E.2.0.x CRAYTS.10.0.x CSOS
CVS ConvexOS Darwin DomainOS Dynix EWS-UX_V FreeBSD GNU HP-UX IRIX
ISC Interix KSR LUNA Linux MPE-iX Mach386 NCR.MP-RAS.2.x NEWS-OS.4.x
NEXTSTEP.4.x NeXT NonStop-UX OSF1 OpenUNIX.5.i386 PTX Paragon PowerUX
QNX RISCos Rhapsody SCO SINIX SVR4 SunOS SunOS.4.0 SunOS.5 Titan
ULTRIX UMAX UNICOS UNIX_SV.4.x.i386 UX4800 UXPDS UnixWare.5.i386
WinNT.4.0 WinNT.5.0 dcosx.1.x.NILE dgux m88k maxion uts.systemV
right?

FYI: the "software package" is sendmail (8 + X).

> I think the point is, that instead of guessing, what an OS supports,
> the makers of the OS shall say, what they think they support and you
> only test for their claims.

How?

Is there something better than autoconf?

My configure script tests of course whether a feature actually works
as much as that is possible.