[vlc-devel] VLC and Windows

Bill Dolson bd at landform.com
Fri Sep 21 18:19:22 CEST 2007


I would be interested to know the percentage of total VLC downloads
which are for Windows.  The Videolan website even features the Windows
download on the home page.  I'm sure it is a vast majority and it is
just downright disingenuous to not support a build on the most popular
user platform.  You are using the Windows community to pump up your open
source download figures, but don't want to support them at the build
level.  That is the sort of regressive balkanization which ultimately
just serves to isolate the Linux community.  It also underscores an
attitude in the Linux community that Windows users are just key-stabbing
morons who are too stupid to handle a Linux install.

I am forced to develop for Windows due to legacy applications which I am
trying to get my client to migrate to Linux.  In the meantime, having to
build under an emulator or another Linux box would just add another
layer of hassle and potential problems.  Sure it's a hassle to support.
Welcome to the real world.

I am building 0.6.8b on Msys using the contrib and after I fixed a few
problems it works fine.  I posted my problems on the list.  Had worse
problems with 0.6.8c and didn't have the time to sort it.  I intend to
fold my changes back into the current trunk once I am finished and then
submit the patches.  I prefer not to try to hit a moving target.  While
you are right about Msys, that's what is "supported" on the wiki.  I
look forward to Tony's results with Cygwin, which I prefer.  Curiously,
the "supported" Windows build environment for ffmpeg (which I am also
hacking) is also Msys.

Thanks,
Bill

Mark Moriarty wrote:
> As a historical note, as of back in 2004 Msys was already regarded as a
> dead-end, not recommended, environment to build VLC, with Cygwin being
> solid, consistent. 
> 
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