--- /dev/null
+Q: gettext's Makefiles don't support VPATH.
+
+A: It's some vendors' "make" which doesn't support VPATH.
+
+ 1) GNU make supports VPATH with both .c.o and %.o:%.c rules.
+
+ 2) Solaris make should not be used with VPATH at all, as it randomly
+ changes Makefile variables.
+
+ 3) FreeBSD make does not support %.o:%.c rules at all. For the
+ remaining .c.o rules VPATH is taken into account. For
+ additional dependencies like "foo.o : bar.c" it is not.
+
+ Since %.o:%.c rules are not portable, GNU package Makefiles
+ shouldn't use them. Only .c.o rules. And then gettext's Makefiles
+ should work with GNU make and with FreeBSD make. But Solaris make
+ is not supportable with VPATH.
+