[vlc-devel] VLC and Windows

[Rafaël Carré]

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Bill Dolson a écrit :
> 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.

It's not the point.
We're not talking about the users, or about stopping Windows support.

It's all about compilation.

> 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.

MSYS is a UNIX emulation, as well as cygwin, and both seem to cause
problems.
So I propose to change the layer, by emulating the hardware machine, and
install a real UNIX system to *compile*

> 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.  

That's the problem, noone wants to maintain cygwin/msys environments.
While the patches you make at your home are not integrated in the trunk,
loads of windows users, who "are just key-stabbing morons who are too
stupid to handle a Linux install" are failing to build VLC, and ask for
an help they don't get.

That's mainly because there is a very few (1 or 2) developers using
Windows, and they don't have time left on support.

Come on let's help them, by providing a CLEAN and WELL TESTED as well as
MAINTAINED build environment, UNIX.

> 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. 

I tried once both environments and built successfully vlc with both.
So I don't know how they are maintained today, and how difficult it is
to build VLC in it.

Maybe you can put it clear on the wiki that MSYS is dead ?

- --
Rafaël Carré
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