Which compiler for the Win32 port ?

[Gildas Bazin]

Hmmm... I sent this email yesterday evening, but apparently it never reached 
the mailing list.... So here it is again.

On Tue, 22 May 2001 11:38:46 Xavier Marchesini wrote:

> My opinion is that we SHOULD use only one compiler. That's why I
> proposed Bcc, because it's free (not as MSVC), and your compiler is not
> very widespread (well, that's the first time I heard of it) - and cross
> compiling isn't very easy.
> 

Just a few corrections:

Mingw32 (Minimalist GNU For Windows) is in fact GCC but modified to produce
Win32 executables.
And like GCC it can be used to cross-compile (I'm usually programming under
Linux with it and testing the result with WINE), but you can also use it
natively on Windows, and you can find Mingw32 distributions with almost all
the GNU tools included (make, gdb ...).

This is why I like it:
- Free Software (the full signification of the term).
- It is GCC (for win32).
- Bundled with the GNU tools.
- Allows cross-compiling IF you want.

For more information you can go on http://www.mingw.org/

> That's why I think we must use only one compiler. I can have a license
> for MSVC, so I can use it, there are no problems with it. Gildas, can
> you work with Visual ?
> 

Honestly, I'm not ready to spend money on a product if I can use something
better for free.
(When I say better, I don't mean in terms of performance or useability -even
though...- but mainly in terms of customisation)
Sorry to be so stubborn :) but it would really be against my beliefs. (And
I see other people are thinking the same ;-)


> I'd like, if possible, reorganize the way we are working, we are not
> really effeicient (let's see the DirectX plugin, that was coded by
> Gildas and I at the same moment)
> 
> So ... let's try to distribute the duties.
> 
That's a good idea :)

>  - I'm gonna adapt the DirectDraw plugin (Gildas' version :) to the new
> VideoOutput 4, as soon as sam has commited it. I'm also going to take a
> look at the DirectSound support, maybe Dolby Surround support :-)
> 
>  - Babal is going to work on the Network Input. He'll see too if the
> core of the VLC (threads, lockings) needs to be cleant to function
> properly under Windows.
> 
>  - Gildas, could you try to fix the bugs that prevent from closing a
> window correctly, etc ... ? If you got time, could you take a look at
> SDL's bugs ?
> 

Fine by me, but I guess I will wait for the new VideoOutput to be commited
into the cvs until I do anything (I think Sam said he was using the SDL
output as a testbed for the new plugin architecture)

>  - Jon, could you try to port the DVD input for Win98 ?
> 
> Hope you will agree with those jobs :)
> 

As long as the VLC is making progess I'm happy ;-)


Gildas