Out of tree builds with makefiles and static pattern rules?

If you use automake you're pretty much using the entire autotools. Automake cannot work without autoconf .

Considering/assuming you don't care about portability and are using GNU make, you can use the VPATH feature.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.