Re: backward compatability of tools

[Paul Eggert <eggert at CS dot UCLA dot EDU>]

Alex Hornby <alex at anvil dot com> writes:

> On a related note, does the restriction of not using shell functions in
> autoconf macros still remain,

For Autoconf itself, we still avoid shell functions.  But of course
you can use shell functions in your own macros, if you don't care
about porting to shells that lack shell functions.

Personally I'm becoming more inclined to start using shell functions.
Perhaps in Autoconf 3.

> have the OSs with such shells now gone the way of SunOS 4.x?

If memory serves, they're a bit more recent than SunOS 4.x.  I recall
that Ultrix was a holdout.  Its last release was in November 1995.  In
contrast, SunOS 4.1.4 (aka Solaris 1.1.2) was first shipped in the
early 1990s.  (It last shipped on 1998-09-30.  I don't know when
Ultrix last shipped.)