Make it easier for package managers to do their job

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Platform: Linux and Mac OS X

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. Read http://code.google.com/chrome/nativeclient/docs/download.html
2. Throw a chair across the room yelling WTF

What is the expected output?
A SIMPLE tarball download link with an obvious Makefile or configure script or 
some way to easily build everything on Linux/OS X, automated and in a 
predictable manner. A README file in such a tarball or similar .

What do you see instead?
I DON'T see an obvious download link. Instead, I see instructions targeted at 
those who still decide to use operating systems named after house parts (who 
would not know what Bash was if it hit them on the head), and a completely 
unnecessary 'let's reinvent the wheel because we can' package manager.

Please provide any additional information below.
Why is it that you always must provide long, tedious instructions to do 
something instead of the basics? Examples:

{{{
wget $SRCURI -O $TAR      # curl $SRCURI > $TAR on Mac
tar xvf $TAR
pushd $SRCDIR
vi README                 # That's right, we READ things that say READ in them; 
and our system doesn't dumbly assume things about file extensions
./configure
make
make install
popd
}}}

{{{
wget $SRCURI -O $TAR
tar xvf $TAR
cd $SRCDIR
vi README               # 'Oh how nice and simple, just use CMake! I can do 
that!'
mkdir build
pushd build
cmake ..
make
make install
popd
}}}

Even on Windows, this is possible, with a SANE environment like MSYS. 

And for those who think VS is so great, give them the screen shots they so 
desperately need. Better yet, build them an installer with NSIS or something 
similar. Give them a GUI or something, because they hate command line anything 
(especially when it's cmd and not 'PowerShell'). You should already know that.

We already have enough issues trying to get Chromium to build in pieces 
(because this is easier to debug!) in Gentoo as it is. Now it seems you want to 
do the same thing with NaCl.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by audvare on 4 Nov 2011 at 8:10

[GoogleCodeExporter]

There is a new utility in the SDK (in the next release) that provides many of 
the critical autotools variables needed to build with the NaCl toolchain 
(build_tools/sdk_tools/set_nacl_env.py).

Note that nearly all of the developers using NaCl today (about 97%) use Visual 
Studio on Windows, so any further work in support of autotools or any other 
non-Windows-specific platform will be weighted accordingly.

Visit www.gonacl.com to see porting case-studies and other articles that might 
help.  Furniture repair is not included.

Original comment by dsprin...@chromium.org on 28 Nov 2011 at 6:48

• Changed state: Fixed
• Added labels: Pri-3
• Removed labels: Pri-1

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I accept your answer. Thanks for the response.

PS I will be doing the furniture repairs myself.

Original comment by audvare on 28 Nov 2011 at 7:08