[geos-devel] RFC7: Discontinue use of autotools

[Sean Gillies]

Hi Roger and all,

On Fri, Jan 8, 2021 at 12:25 PM Roger Bivand <Roger.Bivand at nhh.no> wrote:

> In so far as geos-config and geos.pc are generated in forms that autotools
> can use (R packages use autotools to configure the use of external
> libraries), the main problem is simply that I don't use Cmake, and have
> never felt confident when obliged to use it. Unless forced, I really
> prefer not to have to, and as I retire soon, I think I shouldn't begin
> life as a pensioner by having to learn enough Cmake to be able to build
> GEOS (nothing else I build regularly uses Cmake).
>
> Probably part of the problem is the ./autogen.sh step, which most other
> libraries do not impose, however, the RFC does not mention this.
>
> My feeling is that my interest in tracking developments in GEOS (on behalf
> of the R spatial cluster of packages, about 950 at last count) before a
> release process is triggered will weaken sharply if I have to learn Cmake,
> used for nothing else.
>
> The RFC mentions the preferences of commmitters; this is wrong-headed,
> because the actually useful feedback comes from those in R/Python/etc. who
> may be able to find regressions, but who will stop testing before release
> if building from the repo or from source in general gets harder. Then you
> risk making releases which cause havoc downstream, because you are making
> it harder for people like me to build from source.  What the committers
> prefer will decide this, but it isn't wise.
>
> Roger
>

I can't speak for any other downstream projects or packagers, but the
Shapely project won't be terribly inconvenienced by a complete switch to
Cmake.

-- 
Sean Gillies
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