Re: /usr/local removed... but entries for it exist yet!

From: Jerry Heyman (jerry_at_fourwinds.cx)
Date: 12/18/04

  • Next message: Huub: "Re: Upgrading binaries" 
    Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2004 21:13:19 -0500

    on Tuesday 14 December 2004 05:11 am, igor@no-spam.on.the.net (Igor Sobrado)
    wrote:

    > Frederick Bruckman <fredb@immanent.net> wrote:
    >>
    >> Who are these "most people"? Why do we ship a compiler with the a base
    >> system, if no one codes? ;-)
    >
    > Hi Frederick.
    >
    > That is a very good point. But in the 80's and earlier 90's /usr/local
    > was a directory used to install locally developed software, either
    > scripts or binaries. The C compiler is a requirement for any Unix-like
    > system (I hardly understand why some companies sell the C compiler as
    > an optional software package, they should provide the compiler in the
    > base system and sell other development tools like profilers or
    > development environments instead).

    Having been part of the commercial establishment when the decision
    was made, I can say that IBM chose to remove its C compiler for
    several reasons. First they saw that AT&T had decided to do so with
    SysVR4 and had not suffered any 'push back' from the customer base.

    Secondly, large scale customers were looking for a way to reduce
    the cost of a Unix installation - and since they didn't use/want
    the C compiler, they wanted it removed - and assumed that they
    would save costs.

    Third, as with some OS vendors, the compiler wasn't necessarily
    developed by the same folks that develop the OS. Generally it's
    under contract with another party (internal or external) and
    the cost of the contract is factored into the cost of the whole
    OS. The compiler folks didn't want to 'give' the compiler away,
    and the OS folks didn't want to have the additional costs added
    to ship the compiler. Hence the ability to make the compiler
    'optional'.

    Even those companies that still ship the 'cc' compiler with
    their Unix usually have a better compiler that costs additional
    $$.

    > The C compiler can be used to build that software or other packages
    > required for production.

    The growth of gcc, and the availability of it in binary install
    images has cut back the necessity of the compiler being shipped
    with the OS.

    > Cheers,
    > Igor.

    jerry 

    -- 
       //  Jerry Heyman      | "Software is the difference between
      //   Amiga Forever :-) |  hardware and reality"
  \\ //    heymanj@acm.org   | http://www.cs.stedwards.edu/~heyman
   \X/
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