Date:        Tue, 30 Oct 2001 09:38:21 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
    From:        Todd Vierling <tv@wasabisystems.com>
    Message-ID:  <Pine.WNT.4.33.0110300935000.1076-100000@todd>

  | The .txt is there to point out its plaintext format (as opposed to the
  | HTML).

Yes, if you're used to file extensions for that kind of thing, then .txt
makes some kind of sense - I much prefer not to have it, just like we
don't generally have README.txt but just README

  | The HTML version exists as an alternative cross-platform readable
  | version with proper highlighting properties, since the plaintext version
  | is ... well, *very* plain.  Read them and you'll understand the
  | difference.  8-)

For some reason my cvs update hadn't fetched any of the BUILDING files,
just did a new one, and they're there now - so I hadn't looked inside
before.

Aside from the ^M's (\r's) at the end of every line (which I guess is
really the difference between BUILDING.txt and just BUILDING ...) the
plain text format is just fine.   It contains all the info needed, and
is entirely readable (it isn't as if it was an original HTML format that
has been made into text by just dropping all the tags - those tend to
be truly ugly).

IMO just the text format (with or without the .txt) at the top level will
be entirely sufficient - still generate the html though, so it is easily
available for someone who wants to make a CD with html instructions all
over it, or something.

kre

ps: while I'm here, is it really necessary to make setting MACHINE
mandatory?  (for build.sh -- which could be just "build")

Wouldn't it be OK to have it default to the local host machine type (if
it is supported).   Anyone cross-building is going to know that they're
going to have to specify the target, so they'll look for the method.
Someone just wanting to build locally is just going to get annoyed.

Add to that a default for TOOLDIR and allowing DESTDIR to default to /
and "./build" is just about as easy, as "make".