Re: make bootstrap fails.

[Jan D.]

> Or do some versions of make actually reinitialize environment
> variables directly from the shell environment that invoked make for
> sub-make's if not exported?

At least clearmake (from clearcase) does not export variables by 
default.
I don't know if there is a need to reinitialize the environment,
make variables and environment variables are just kept separate.

        Jan D.