xref: /netbsd-src/external/gpl3/autoconf/dist/README (revision d874e91932377fc40d53f102e48fc3ee6f4fe9de)
1*d874e919Schristos-*- text -*-
2*d874e919Schristos
3*d874e919SchristosAutoconf
4*d874e919Schristos
5*d874e919SchristosAutoconf is an extensible package of M4 macros that produce shell
6*d874e919Schristosscripts to automatically configure software source code packages.
7*d874e919SchristosThese scripts can adapt the packages to many kinds of UNIX-like
8*d874e919Schristossystems without manual user intervention.  Autoconf creates a
9*d874e919Schristosconfiguration script for a package from a template file that lists the
10*d874e919Schristosoperating system features that the package can use, in the form of M4
11*d874e919Schristosmacro calls.
12*d874e919Schristos
13*d874e919SchristosProducing configuration scripts using Autoconf requires GNU M4 and
14*d874e919SchristosPerl.  You should install GNU M4 (version 1.4.6 or later is required;
15*d874e919Schristos1.4.14 or later is recommended) and Perl (5.006 or later) before
16*d874e919Schristosconfiguring Autoconf, so that Autoconf's configure script can find
17*d874e919Schristosthem.  The configuration scripts produced by Autoconf are
18*d874e919Schristosself-contained, so their users do not need to have Autoconf (or GNU
19*d874e919SchristosM4, Perl, etc.).
20*d874e919Schristos
21*d874e919SchristosYou can get GNU M4 here:
22*d874e919Schristos
23*d874e919Schristosftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/
24*d874e919Schristos
25*d874e919SchristosThe file INSTALL should be distributed with packages that use
26*d874e919SchristosAutoconf-generated configure scripts and Makefiles that conform to the
27*d874e919SchristosGNU coding standards.  The package's README can just give an overview
28*d874e919Schristosof the package, where to report bugs, and a pointer to INSTALL for
29*d874e919Schristosinstructions on compilation and installation.  This removes the need
30*d874e919Schristosto maintain many similar sets of installation instructions.
31*d874e919Schristos
32*d874e919SchristosBe sure to read BUGS and INSTALL.
33*d874e919Schristos
34*d874e919SchristosMail suggestions to autoconf@gnu.org, report bugs to
35*d874e919Schristosbug-autoconf@gnu.org, and submit patches to autoconf-patches@gnu.org.
36*d874e919SchristosAll changes can be tracked at the read-only autoconf-commit@gnu.org.
37*d874e919SchristosAlways include the Autoconf version number, which you can get by
38*d874e919Schristosrunning `autoconf --version'.  Archives of bug-autoconf@gnu.org can be
39*d874e919Schristosfound in <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-autoconf/>, and
40*d874e919Schristossimilarly for the other mailing lists.
41*d874e919Schristos
42*d874e919SchristosLicensing
43*d874e919Schristos
44*d874e919SchristosAutoconf is released under the General Public License version 3 (GPLv3+).
45*d874e919SchristosAdditionally, Autoconf includes a licensing exception in some of its
46*d874e919Schristossource files; see the respective copyright notices for how your
47*d874e919Schristosproject is impacted by including scripts generated by Autoconf, and the
48*d874e919SchristosCOPYING.EXCEPTION file for the exception in terms of the Additional
49*d874e919SchristosPermissions as described in section 7 of GPLv3.
50*d874e919Schristos
51*d874e919SchristosFor more licensing information, see
52*d874e919Schristos<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html> and
53*d874e919Schristos<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>.
54*d874e919Schristos
55*d874e919SchristosFor any copyright year range specified as YYYY-ZZZZ in this package
56*d874e919Schristosnote that the range specifies every single year in that closed interval.
57*d874e919Schristos
58*d874e919Schristos-----
59*d874e919Schristos
60*d874e919SchristosCopyright (C) 1992-1994, 1998, 2000-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
61*d874e919Schristos
62*d874e919SchristosCopying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
63*d874e919Schristosare permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
64*d874e919Schristosnotice and this notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is,
65*d874e919Schristoswithout warranty of any kind.
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