configure failure

[Linas Vepstas]

On Sat, Dec 02, 2006 at 12:46:21PM +0100, Torbjorn Granlund wrote:
> Paul Leyland <paul at leyland.vispa.com> writes:
> 
>   On the other hand, I have seen people on the GMP lists offering to add
>   the materials to the GMP distribution which are necessary for making
>   installation of GMP under Windows as easy as it is under a Unix-like
>   operating system.  At least one person (Francesco Montorsi, in September
>   2004) has offered to provide all the support needed, requiring only
>   incorporation of his stuff into the dist kit and without requiring you
>   to provide any support at all.  You declined his offer.
>   
> And, as everybody should know that can read installation instructions:
> GMP is supported on windos.  It requires a compiler, make, and m4.
> Sheesh!
> 
> I am glad Unix users are not as discontent as windos users.  Then we
> would be discussing complaints about that "I want to build my GMP with
> a Perl script", and "I want to click on an icon to install my GMP".
> These people have a build metod, and they use it.

Actually, no, we have something much better. Its called a
"distribution".  In my particular case, I simple type

   "apt-get install gmp" 

and a precompiled, fully-compatible, tested, known-working, all
install-dependencies-met binary is installed on my system.  That's
it. I don't *even* have to compile.

(If there are windows users reading this, thinking "install shield" here, 
then, no, distros, and apt, are nothing like install shield, its a 
different concept, its another level of abstraction away.)

>   > Is a Ford wheel designed as if every car looks like a Ford?
>   
>   Are Ford wheels usable on, say, a Honda, without an interface kit made

The problem is that Windows is a tricycle, so comparing it to an
automobile is inappropriate. 

--linas