Updating to Autoconf 2.5x

[Andrew Cagney]

> As you all know, the configure scripts for GCC, GDB, and binutils must
> be generated with autoconf 2.13.

GDB and BINUTILS use autoconf 000227 and not 2.13.

> thoroughly obsolete, to the point where recent releases of popular
> free operating systems may not ship it at all.  It is thus becoming
> increasingly difficult to maintain these scripts.  Furthermore, using
> this old version of autoconf forces us to continue using old versions
> of automake and libtool as well.  At the recent GCC summit it was
> agreed that we

I guess the royal ``we'' here is GCC?

Fortunatly GDB (binutils?) also see a need to get off the current 
autoconf and as such, I personally welcome this move.

How does nathaniel and dj's work fit into this - its kind of a logical 
next step.

> need to make a concerted effort and migrate to autoconf
> 2.5x.  Exactly how we're going to do that, however, has not yet been
> decided.
> 
> I have created a mailing list for discussing this issue in detail,
> making plans, and implementing them.  All interested parties are
> invited to subscribe.  I don't intend this to be a long-lived list;
> I hope we can get this conversion done in under a month.
> 
> List address:     autoconf-conversion@codesourcery.com
> Subscribe:        autoconf-conversion-subscribe@codesourcery.com (ezmlm)
> Archives:         http://www.codesourcery.com/archives/autoconf-conversion/maillist.html

I think it would be better if this list was hosted, and made part of 
gcc.gnu.org.

Andrew