Hi,
> I have only recently been on the mailing list since I had some issues
> with getting amber9 to compile correctly. The whole time working through
> my issues I couldn't help but ask myself why isn't there a ./configure
> script for this just like most of all the other open source applications
> out there. It seems like having a normal ./configure script that can
> help to sort out compile issues and to set up the environment properly
> could go a long ways in helping many people to compile this software
> properly. Especially when it can inform the person of potential problems
> instead of having to post compile errors to the amber listserv to get
> help from. I haven't been on this list very long but I'd think you would
> get a lot of questions on this list related to compile issues which you
> consistently need to answer over and over again. Things that a
> good ./configure script could remedy for you. Just curious,
...I'm not a regular amber-developer so this is just my personal opinion:
The AMBER configure script is written by humans and can therefore easily
be changed/edited/whatever.
The toolchain leading to "usual" configure
scripts is great *if* everything was set up carefully. If not, you have a
big source of trouble and anger at hand. I've often seen things like:
"configure: error - exit 77, consult config.log for details"
when you open you just see something like
"error 77 - exit"
as the last line of config.log.
Such problems are way more trouble than missing compilers/libraries and
other things usually reported to this list.
If you don't believe me, download the sources of the "ghemical" molecular
modeling suite.
Once it runs it is very nice (for teaching mainly) but if it takes you
less than a whole afternoon to make it run properly, you're good
(and have earned my respect :-)
...just my 0.02$
Andreas
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The AMBER Mail Reflector
To post, send mail to amber.scripps.edu
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amber" to majordomo.scripps.edu
Received on Sun Jul 01 2007 - 06:07:23 PDT
