The problems was mainly that even "apt-get build-dep" is not enough to handle all the problems that arise from that. Even if configure was standardized, there was always problems with diversity in systems.
The NIH syndrome is still big in software build tools, everything is complicated unless you have written it yourself in your environment. Admitted I seldom run those commands manually anymore, but things have gotten way worse when I do try. Specific versions of tools, libraries and kernels, or just kernels. Nix build scripts are actually one of the worst offenders here often ignoring every other standard available. Not saying it is bad, just an example of why what you write above is more complicated than it sounds.
The NIH syndrome is still big in software build tools, everything is complicated unless you have written it yourself in your environment. Admitted I seldom run those commands manually anymore, but things have gotten way worse when I do try. Specific versions of tools, libraries and kernels, or just kernels. Nix build scripts are actually one of the worst offenders here often ignoring every other standard available. Not saying it is bad, just an example of why what you write above is more complicated than it sounds.