I hadn't been doing any *real* programming for the last few months (ladder logic for Allen-Bradley PLCs and some Python here and there), but this past weekend I wanted to try and compile ZSNES from the latest SVN snapshot. Also today at work I needed/wanted to compile libmodbus on Windows and make some test programs.
I am so sick of having to hunt down this and that when it comes to compiling crap. Some projects are pretty good about keeping everything flawless. I've compiled DOSBox, Octave, and Audacious from source numerous times throughout their different versions with minimal issues. Octave takes forever to compile and you see an occasional error, but I've always been able to compile, install, and use without problems.
Maybe I just suck at hunting down the errors, but f@$#%@. So sick of hunting down stuff, especially just to see it not work in the end. Sometimes compiling can be so smooth, and other times you have to beat your head into the wall.
Starting to see the real world appeal of higher level languages. I found modbus-tk on Google Code and was off and running in 20 minutes (with Python).
End rant.