[O-MPI devel] New build methodology

[Ralph H. Castain]

Yo folks

While I generally find the new build methodology (i.e., reducing the 
number of makefiles) has little impact on me, I have now encountered 
one problem that causes a significant difficulty. In trying to work 
on a revised data packing system for the orte part of the branch, I 
now find that I cannot compile and debug the dps *until* I have 
completely revised all the rest of the system that uses it. In other 
words, having made a change to the dps, I first have to go through 
every function that uses it and make the tree conform BEFORE I can 
even begin to debug and test the revisions in the dps itself.

The problem this creates is that - unless I am absolutely correct in 
my first iteration on the changes - I find myself repeatedly going 
through the tree, modifying the API calls into the dps, getting 
everything to compile, then trying the dps, .....discovering that I 
need to make a change, going through the entire tree to modify 
everything again, trying the change,.....

You get the picture. Frankly, from what I'm seeing, I am not sure the 
changed build system is worth the lost productivity. It works fine if 
you are only making small changes - but in cases like I'm currently 
in, it actually severely impacts productivity.

Perhaps an option to create a local makefile would help? Not sure if 
that is possible, but it sure would ease my pain!

Ralph