On Mon, Dec 23, 2013 at 4:59 AM, Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org> wrote:
My problem is I get really frustrated when something
doesn't just WORK.
You download something to what you would think is supported (a modern
Linux or OS X) ./configure, ./make and it pukes. I went through this last
...
To be honest, though, a lot of things DID just work when installed, not that
I'm particularly happy with HOW they work (I was looking at both Eclipse and
CodeBlocks IDEs). I think I understand now why Eric Smith just uses the bare
tool chains.
Mixed strategy works for me: virtualisation + spare machines for when
virtualisation doesn't work easily
The aim is to avoid trying to make new toolchains co-exist with
existing environments (and sink into dependency, versioning hell).
With a new toolchain/widget, make a new environment just for it. Much
easier time choosing the guest environment that matches the toolchain
requirements, or even better the toolchain provider has conveniently
provided a virtual image ready-to-boot.
The slight drawback is integrating multiple environments but at least
this boils down to known (more easily managed) access paths between
disparate systems (via filesharing, networks etc).
The other bonus with virtual images is you can suspend them with
work-in-progress, return to them a long time later and find everything
just where you left it.