Many common fairly basic features are missing from POSIX make, like pattern rules and conditionals (if/ifeq/ifdef). Some were added just in the last year or two

Many common fairly basic features are missing from POSIX make, like pattern rules and conditionals (if/ifeq/ifdef). Some were added just in the last year or two, like including possibly non-existing files. see http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/make.html http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/make.html GNU Make tends to be available on all systems, include OS X and the BSDs.