cpp'ing makefiles

[lmcl at ukc.UUCP]

Would someone please tell me why the following is a bad idea.
Cpp makefiles to make then use the same configuration as the programs
that they generate.  By doing this you'd avoid having to ensure that
the defines in the main include files matched those in the makefile as
so many systems I've installed recently seem to need.
  Admittedly you could have the makefile either pass down information to
the programs its generating (-DXXX=${XXX}) or have the makefile invoke the
editor on the appropriate files.  But if you have a small machine, like
an 11, then you'd probably end up with a makefile to large to run.
-- 
...!ukc!lmcl
...!ukc!root44!west44!lee