Re: [sr #111044] autoconf should assert existence of all subsidiary tools at startup

Hi -

On Mon, Apr 01, 2024 at 05:10:17PM -0400, Paul Eggert wrote:
> [...]
> Not sure I'd go that far. The
> [https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Utilities-in-Makefiles.html GNU
> Coding Standards for utilities in makefiles] lists the following as usable
> without further ado:
> 
> awk cat cmp cp diff echo egrep expr false grep install-info ln ls
> mkdir mv printf pwd rm rmdir sed sleep sort tar test touch tr true
> [...]

On the other hand, we've had very real reports that e.g. diff was
missing on some real platforms, which led autoconf astray and ended up
in misconfigured build trees.  Perhaps autoconf can afford to do some
sanity checking on these reasonable-sounding but not-universal
expectations.


- FChE