xref: /netbsd/external/gpl3/autoconf/dist/README (revision f3dc700a)
1*f3dc700aSchristos-*- text -*-
2*f3dc700aSchristos
3*f3dc700aSchristosAutoconf
4*f3dc700aSchristos
5*f3dc700aSchristosAutoconf is an extensible package of M4 macros that produce shell
6*f3dc700aSchristosscripts to automatically configure software source code packages.
7*f3dc700aSchristosThese scripts can adapt the packages to many kinds of UNIX-like
8*f3dc700aSchristossystems without manual user intervention.  Autoconf creates a
9*f3dc700aSchristosconfiguration script for a package from a template file that lists the
10*f3dc700aSchristosoperating system features that the package can use, in the form of M4
11*f3dc700aSchristosmacro calls.
12*f3dc700aSchristos
13*f3dc700aSchristosProducing configuration scripts using Autoconf requires GNU M4 and
14*f3dc700aSchristosPerl.  You should install GNU M4 (version 1.4.6 or later is required;
15*f3dc700aSchristos1.4.14 or later is recommended) and Perl (5.006 or later) before
16*f3dc700aSchristosconfiguring Autoconf, so that Autoconf's configure script can find
17*f3dc700aSchristosthem.  The configuration scripts produced by Autoconf are
18*f3dc700aSchristosself-contained, so their users do not need to have Autoconf (or GNU
19*f3dc700aSchristosM4, Perl, etc.).
20*f3dc700aSchristos
21*f3dc700aSchristosYou can get GNU M4 here:
22*f3dc700aSchristos
23*f3dc700aSchristosftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/
24*f3dc700aSchristos
25*f3dc700aSchristosThe file INSTALL should be distributed with packages that use
26*f3dc700aSchristosAutoconf-generated configure scripts and Makefiles that conform to the
27*f3dc700aSchristosGNU coding standards.  The package's README can just give an overview
28*f3dc700aSchristosof the package, where to report bugs, and a pointer to INSTALL for
29*f3dc700aSchristosinstructions on compilation and installation.  This removes the need
30*f3dc700aSchristosto maintain many similar sets of installation instructions.
31*f3dc700aSchristos
32*f3dc700aSchristosBe sure to read BUGS and INSTALL.
33*f3dc700aSchristos
34*f3dc700aSchristosMail suggestions to autoconf@gnu.org, report bugs to
35*f3dc700aSchristosbug-autoconf@gnu.org, and submit patches to autoconf-patches@gnu.org.
36*f3dc700aSchristosAll changes can be tracked at the read-only autoconf-commit@gnu.org.
37*f3dc700aSchristosAlways include the Autoconf version number, which you can get by
38*f3dc700aSchristosrunning `autoconf --version'.  Archives of bug-autoconf@gnu.org can be
39*f3dc700aSchristosfound in <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-autoconf/>, and
40*f3dc700aSchristossimilarly for the other mailing lists.
41*f3dc700aSchristos
42*f3dc700aSchristosLicensing
43*f3dc700aSchristos
44*f3dc700aSchristosAutoconf is released under the General Public License version 3 (GPLv3+).
45*f3dc700aSchristosAdditionally, Autoconf includes a licensing exception in some of its
46*f3dc700aSchristossource files; see the respective copyright notices for how your
47*f3dc700aSchristosproject is impacted by including scripts generated by Autoconf, and the
48*f3dc700aSchristosCOPYING.EXCEPTION file for the exception in terms of the Additional
49*f3dc700aSchristosPermissions as described in section 7 of GPLv3.
50*f3dc700aSchristos
51*f3dc700aSchristosFor more licensing information, see
52*f3dc700aSchristos<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html> and
53*f3dc700aSchristos<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>.
54*f3dc700aSchristos
55*f3dc700aSchristosFor any copyright year range specified as YYYY-ZZZZ in this package
56*f3dc700aSchristosnote that the range specifies every single year in that closed interval.
57*f3dc700aSchristos
58*f3dc700aSchristos-----
59*f3dc700aSchristos
60*f3dc700aSchristosCopyright (C) 1992-1994, 1998, 2000-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
61*f3dc700aSchristos
62*f3dc700aSchristosCopying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
63*f3dc700aSchristosare permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
64*f3dc700aSchristosnotice and this notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is,
65*f3dc700aSchristoswithout warranty of any kind.
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