If you are a developer and are looking to participate in the Open Source development growth area you will need to learn new Open Source tools. GNU autoconf, GNU automake and GNU libtool are key tools for Open Source application development. These tools are not easy to learn, so some of the leading authorities on these tools have agreed to work together on this book to teach developers how to boost their productivity and the portability of their application. This book place New Riders/MTP at the center of the Open Source development community. Autoconf, Automake and Libtool is an efficient discourse on the use of autoconf, automake and libtool aimed at reducing the steep learning curve normally associated with these tools. This is a study guide to the interactions between the tools, and how best to get them to cooperate. If you are a developer and have no GNU build environment expertise, this book will help you develop these tools completely and confidently.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 15 Ratings

This book is too out of date to use. - 2003-11-28
Reviewer Rating:
First off, the book is very non-linear and very disorganized. The subject material is extremely difficult and non-linear, so this was probably a very difficult book to write, and I sympathize with the authors. I couldn't have done a better job.

However, as of Nov 2003, the versions of autoconf, automake and libtool that the book uses are very out of date and very deprecated. It's not a matter of "some things have changed", it's a matter of "they're completely different".

The main ideas and concepts remain the same, but as for the details... you will NOT be able to use autoconf / automake / libtool after reading the book. You'll be floundering in "did I do something wrong or is this just because I'm using a newer version?".

Do not buy this book until the authors update it. You will NOT learn the subject material and will be very sorry you spent the money.

they know their stuff, they can't communicate it - 2003-12-05
Reviewer Rating:
if you had three books on the GNU build system and were ready to delve into the arcane details, this would be an excellent book.

if you are looking to learn how to use automake and autoconf to manage a small to midsized project, this book is worthless. the authors jump from the basics to esoteric problem cases and back frequently, and there is no help for those who do not already know the system well.

Totally disorganized, though interesting here and there - 2003-04-13
Reviewer Rating:
As a guide to Gnu autoconf, automake and libtool, this book is quite useless. It is utterly and totally disorganized, and much essential information is just not there at all. There is amazingly little in the way of examples. So don't bother with it if you want to learn about any of those subjects. The book is not entirely without merit, however. Its redeeming features are scattered sensible comments about software portability and software architecture.

The authors are obviously very knowledgable and experienced about software. I encourage them to "throw this one away" and try a rewrite from scratch. Short of that, they could provide a road map through their book; first read this chapter, then skip to the second half of that one, etc.

The sad news is that there may not be any good guide to autoconf etc anywhere yet. Like the DNA in your body, all autoconf files are very likely descended by an evolutionary process from a few original viable specimens.

Authors enjoy themselves but don't care about subject of their writing - 2006-08-09
Reviewer Rating:
Agree absolutely with others saying "authors jump from the basics to esoteric problem cases and back frequently", "much essential information is just not there at all" and "an unorganized mess". Within book's almost 400 pages you will find neither bird's eye concept overview nor answers to specific questions. At least I found neither for I didn't have time or will to read cover to cover through all of the irrelevant stuff (that prevails) and as a reference the book is totally useless. This is that nasty sort of books that spend pages and pages on discussing different "schools of thought" (authors' being superior, naturally) and elementary knowledge hardly relevant to the subject, then all of a sudden jumping into some years lasting arguing with their community opponents, leaving the reader to guess about basic technical things. The overall style when writing about tecnalities is quite careless. A huge disappointment.

A good starting point - 2009-10-26
Reviewer Rating:
The GNU build system comprises the GNU utility programs Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool, and are well covered in this book. Other related tools frequently used with the GNU build system are GNU's make program, GNU gettext, pkg-config, and the GNU Compiler Collection, also called GCC, but they are not covered in this book.

This book will be very useful if you are a novice in the GNU build system. You can read the book from first to last page, to get the confidence in such a perplexing system. We have read this book with my team mate and it was a great starting point for us. Since that, the book was of little use for us. But it was worth its price.

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