need some help beta testing an install script

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 09:33:33AM -0500, bob 295 wrote:
> I've created a streamlined install script for my SIMPL book sample code.     
> 
> http://www.icanprogram.com/simplBook/simplBook.self.html
> 
> As with all things of this nature there is only so far one can go unit testing 
> individual elements of installation scripts.    My Linux systems here all 
> have SIMPL installed 50 ways to Sunday and as a result I'm a very poor beta 
> test platform.   Besides I'm the author of the thing,  and authors make very 
> bad beta testers of their own stuff.
> 
> I'm looking for some volunteers who are willing to spend the time reviewing my 
> script and then to try it out against their particular Linux configuration.

Hmm, so a few comments:

Tar file contains both a directory and a seperate file.  This is really
bad style.  Please only include a single directory in the tar file to
contain everything.  No exceptions.

A version number is generally a good idea.  You just might update it
some day.  Mixed case is also very annoying, and discouraged.
Packagename should be all lowercase as should commands unless you have a
VERY good reason.

What is the difference between sudoku, sudoku.seed and sudoku.working?
Not to mention testing and core_chapter_code.

In the manual install instructions, is the variable $TEST_HOME or
$SIMPL_HOME or are they both used?

Whatever is 'clobber' and where is the 'clean' target?  Why doesn't the
install target let me pass a variable to indicate where to install to?

Don't use -i with make unless you know what you are doing (in which case
you wouldn't do it).  make has a -C option.  Use it.  DOn't use the
shell to cd somewhere to run make.  Don't use -s either in most cases.

They are called CFLAGS not CDFLAGS.  C = C compiler.  LD = linker.  -c
and -o do not belong in the CFLAGS at all.

You create world writeable directories.  Are you nuts?

I figured I could try and make a debian package of the code, but I now I
am getting fed up fixing the Makefiles. :(

It seems you followed the Makefiles of the simpl project, which
certainly are among the ugliest things I have ever encountered.  Perhaps
this is why simpl isn't package for Debian.  No one wants to touch that
code.  It's just too weird and non standard and too painful to try and
set right for packaging up.

-- 
Len Sorensen
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