[csw-maintainers] raw "build" api for our subversion tree now up for discussion

[Maciej (Matchek) Blizinski]

On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 5:09 PM, Philip Brown <phil at bolthole.com> wrote:
>> Why do we need a default? The API make setting this mandatory. It may
>> be good to have a default in the enclosing build system, but the maintainer
>> should set a use-specific default. So I don't see a need that the inner
>> build-systems need to handle defaults.
>>
>
> err, are you speaking of "[the gar] build system"? or the "raw API" one?
> I think you are referring to gar. the "raw API" one does not have
> setting anything mandatory.
> In order to keep discussion for this "raw api" thread simple (just
> like the proposed API ;-), lets please keep discussions of GAR, to a
> completely different thread

GAR? What's GAR? ;-)

I don't see anything inherently wrong with having a default.  Just one
thought.  Imagine a newcomer who downloads the source, runs the build
script and has no clue what files have been created and where.  It
could be a guideline (?) to print out a useful message at the end of
the scripts work: your new shiny files have been created here and
here.  The default will make it possible for the script to work
without any configuration, and the message will make it possible for a
newcomer to find their way around the build system.

Maciej