The easiest way to "port" bb is to copy the binary from a
binary-compatible machine:  for example, if you're on a
DECstation, you could just copy hardy's binary.

If you go this route, you'll also want to copy the help file
(/usr/local/lib/bb.help) and then "setenv BBHELP filename" to
point at its new name on your machine (unless you put it back
where bb expects it--/usr/local/lib/bb.help).

If you can't find a binary-compatible machine from which to
copy a bb client, the basic procedure for building bb on a new
host is:

        Get a copy of the most recent source code.

                This can be acquired from the ~kc/src/bb directory on
                most systems.  You'll probably want to do a "make
                clean" once you get it there, since the object files
                are rather large.  If you want, I can tar up an
                already-cleaned tree for you to copy.  [Actually,
		I try to keep ~kc/src/bb/bb.tar.Z on byron up-to-date,
		you might check there.]

        Create a .config file for your machine.

                This is done by copying one of the .config.* files to
                .config.machinename, and editing it to suit your
                machine.

                The variables are:

                        CC      The C compiler to use: preferably gcc.
                                Must at least be ANSI-conformant to
                                compile the current code, but I'm
                                willing to make the code work on other
                                compilers if necessary.

                        COPTS   Options to the C compiler.

                        LIBS    Libraries to link in:  commonly BSD
                                compatibility libraries, socket
                                libraries, name resolver libraries.

                        SIGNAL_T        The type returned by signal(3)
                                        on your system.

                        INSTALL_DIR     The directory in which to
                                        install bb, if not
                                        /usr/local/bin.

                        HELPFILE        Where to put the internal help
                                        file, if not
                                        /usr/local/lib/bb.help.

                Once you get this all worked out, you'll probably want
                to mail your .config file back to me so it will show up
                automatically in later distributions.

        Make config point at your .config.machinename file:

                % rm config; ln -s .config.machinename config

        Run make.

        Test the program, than "make install".

The current methods of distributing updates are:

        Automatically installing the latest version via rdist.

                The downside of this is that it requires a .rhosts
                entry from 6:30-7:30 Wednesday morning in an account
                which has write-access to the appropriate file--but
                it's very automated.

        Sending a mail message to some maintainer who then grabs the
        latest copy and installs it himself.

                I think the disadvanges of this are quite obvious.  :)
