From ad2bea3b1e65a029a2fb6321db18e10c1999b1c0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Georg Sauthoff Date: Sun, 21 Aug 2016 11:05:22 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] add README.md --- README.md | 130 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 130 insertions(+) create mode 100644 README.md diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..52c3473 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,130 @@ +This repository contains the [Illumos][illumos] make source code (in branch +`illumos`) and based on that a port to Linux (branch `master`). + +The Illumos make is based on Sun's dmake, which is compatible to +Sun make. + +Motivation: compile old Solaris projects (that use Sun make) +under Linux without much effort. Think: the C code needs serious +fixing because it includes metric tons of non-portable constructs +such that you want to postpone the porting of the existing build +system (which heavily uses Sun make specific extensions). + +Another motivation to use a Sun compatible make might be the +inclination to test one of its extensions, e.g. target groups, +command and hidden dependencies. + +2016, Georg Sauthofff + + +## Background + +Illumos is based on [OpenSolaris][osolaris], the now discontinued +open-source version of Solaris. OpenSolaris was started by Sun +after the Solaris 10 release and was closed down in 2010 after +Oracle bought Sun. Sun used the [CDDL][cddl] license on its open +sourced code. + +Traditionally, Solaris includes it own version of `make` under +`/usr/ccs/bin/make`, also known as 'Sun make'. It has some +extensions over other make versions, such as BSD make and +[POSIX][posix] make. It only supports sequential execution +(unlike e.g. GNU make), however, Sun also developed `dmake` +(think: distributed make), usually bundled with the [Solaris +compiler suite 'Solaris Studio'][solstudio]. Dmake is compatible +with the Sun make syntax and besides serial execution it supports +parallel execution on an SMP system and on a cluster (apparently +similar to [distcc][distcc]). It was also open-sourced by Sun +under the CDDL. + +Illumos started with the code base that included the original Sun +make but later switched to dmake. + + +## Related make Implementations + +[GNU make][gmake] is the most popular, portable and thus relevant +make. Similar to most GNU tools it contains many very useful +extension over the traditional make and it basically runs +everywhere. + +Examples of GNU make features that are missing from Sun make: + +- parallel execution (the Sun make compatible dmake supports it) +- conditional constructs +- many built-in function +- user-defined functions +- templates +- guile integration +- generation of included files + +Sun make features that aren't supported by GNU make: + +- target groups - i.e. to specify that more than one target + depends on a source file and that the one action generates + those targets at once. GNU make only supports a group of + targets with pattern rules. +- command dependencies - i.e. a target is also considered + out-of-date if the command changes - i.e. due to changed values + of variables like `$(CC)` or `$(CFLAGS)` +- hidden dependencies - automatic discovery of header + dependencies + +There are also extension where GNU and Sun make just use +different syntax. For example, conditional macros: + +- Sun make: `target := VAR = value` +- GNU make: `taget: VAR = value` + +(Note that GNU make interprets `:=` as assignment with immediate +expansion.) + +The distributed make that came with OpenOffice is [also named +DMake][oodmake]. It seems that it was independently developed of Sun's +dmake - and that it uses a different syntax. + + +## Portability + +The changes in the `master` branch fix portability issues in the +original code such that the resulting `make` compiles and runs +under Linux. Also, a [CMake][cmake] build file is included for portable +building. + +Although those changes target Linux, they aren't really Linux +specific. That means that the ported make should also compile on +other modern [POSIXy][posix] operating systems. + + +## Naming + +I avoided the names `dmake`, `imake` and `smake` because there +are already multiple published make versions that use those +names. There is a [dmake][dmake] that comes with Solaris Studio, a [dmake +bundled with OpenOffice][oodmake], a dmake that OpenOffice's +dmake is based on, an [imake][imake] to build old X versions and +the [Schily smake][smake]. + +Thus, to not add to the confusion I chose `somake`. + + +## License + +Perhaps not required by the CDDL, but I license my changes +also under the [CDDL][cddl]. + + +[illumos]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illumos +[osolaris]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSolaris +[solaris]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(operating_system) +[cddl]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Development_and_Distribution_License +[distcc]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distcc +[solstudio]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_Developer_Studio +[gmake]: https://www.gnu.org/software/make/ +[oodmake]: https://www.openoffice.org/tools/dmake/ +[cmake]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMake +[posix]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POSIX#Mostly_POSIX-compliant +[smake]: https://sourceforge.net/projects/s-make/ +[imake]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imake +[dmake]: https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24457_01/html/E25220/index.html +