Re: Is a modern build system acceptable for older platforms

On Wed, 2 May 2018 at 00:57, Yuriy Zhuravlev <stalkerg(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:

> Hello Geoff!
>
> About cmake:
> 1. You can still use the binary build for your system.
> 2. You can still build Postgres from source and with old gcc, you need
> only install cmake (it's very easy) Only most modern versions of CMake
> depend on modern gcc. I have good experience with old Solaris and AIX. (I
> mean build Postgres by current cmake branch).
> 3. You can try and put your impressions on issue tracker on github.
>

​First, please don't top post.

Second, I can't "use the binary build", there isn't one for the systems I'm
talking about.

Third​, as you said, newer cmake refuses to build on this system.
Admittedly v2 built fine, but how long until someone tells me something
like "oh well, we need to use bracket arguments otherwise our files are
terribly hard to read so you need v3. It shouldn't be that hard to build,
you only need to compile gcc 4, and that's at least 5 years old, so it's
time you upgraded".

Being blunt, unless I've missed the point all the arguments I've read so
far for cmake seem to be advantages for the developers, not the users. As
developers who put in your time you are of course entitled to make your
lives easier but I'm just making the counterpoint that if you do so at the
expense of your users you lose a certain amount of goodwill. It's up to you
all how much that matters.

Geoff