GNUstep makefile package
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Here is some introductory info to get you started:

What is the GNUstep makefile package?
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The makefile package is a simple, powerful and extensible way to write makefiles for a GNUstep-based project.  It allows the user to write a project without having to deal with the complex issues associated with configuration, building, installation, and packaging. It also allows the user to easily create cross-compiled binaries.

Information
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The file NEWS has this packages feature history.

The files INSTALL or GNUstep-HOWTO give instructions for installing the packages. Also see the machines documentation and various machine specific READMEs in the Documentation directory.

Files in the Documentation directory have information on the design of the Makefile system and how to write your own makefiles that work with it.

Note that releases numbers that have an odd minor version (e.g. 1.3.2) are unstable releases. They are not as well tested as stable releases (e.g. 1.4.1).

License
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The GNUstep libraries are covered under the GNU Lesser Public License. This means you can use these libraries in any program (even non-free programs). If you distribute the libraries along with your program, you must make the improvements you have made to the libraries freely available. You should read the COPYING.LIB file for more information.

GNUstep tools, test programs, and other files are covered under the GNU Public License. This means if you make changes to these programs, you cannot charge a fee, other than distribution fees, for others to use the program. You should read the COPYING file for more information.

With GNUstep-Base, we strongly recommend the use of the ffcall libraries, which provides stack frame handling for NSInvocation and NSConnection.  "Ffcall is under GNU GPL. As a special exception, if used in GNUstep or in derivate works of GNUstep, the included parts of ffcall are under GNU LGPL" (Text in quotes provided by the author of ffcall).

History
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The GNUstep makefile package was designed by Scott Christley scottc@net-community.com and Ovidiu Predescu ovidiu@net-community.com.

Flags for building shared libraries and bundles on several systems were originally identified by Mircea Oancea mircea@pathcom.com.

Richard Frith-Macdonald richard@brainstorm.co.uk also contributed with ideas.

Nicola Pero nicola@brainstorm.co.uk rewrote much of the rule procedures to increase the speed of the package by over a factor of 7. He also rewrote much of the rest of the system to make it simpler and more effective.

How can you help?
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  * Give us feedback!  Tell us what you like; tell us what you think could be better.  Send bug reports to bug-gnustep@gnu.org.