Google summer of code for GNU make: introducing myself.

[Ramón García]

Hello,

I am Ramon Garcia Fernandez and I intend to enhance GNU make with user
defined out of date evaluation and persistent variables. I am
finishing my Ph D Thesis on Physical Chemistry. I have a MS in
Chemistry and a BS in Computer Engineering.

My interest in computers is mostly in low level programming, languages
and systems. I see programming as mathematical reasoning, and that is
why I like it.

This project started with a request to enhance GNU make with tracing
of variables. I took the liberty of suggesting this extension as a
Google summer of code grant, which was rejected by Paul Smith because
it was too simple for a summer project. He suggested to possible
alternative projects. Encouraged by his demands, I could not resist.
We started a discussion, that became in my opinion interesting. It was
decisive for applying for this grant that I agree with the view that
computer systems should provide general and orthogonal facilities , so
that by combining between them, they can enable to do anything.

The problem that this project attempts to solve is to allow the user
to define how it is determined if a target is out of date. By
providing this facility and providing persistent variables, it should
be possible to write simple Makefiles that contain dependencies on
CFLAGS, or on the rule of the command. Following Paul's suggestion,
the approach that is most likely to be followed, is to have a special
variable name, .OUT_OF_DATE, that will contain an expression whose
evaluation will determine if the target must be rebuilt. In addition
we will have to choose among several ways to store persistent
variables.

Well, that's enough for now.

Ramon