From: jqb AT netcom DOT com (Jim Balter) Subject: Re: cygwin.dll 16 Jan 1997 21:56:53 -0800 Approved: cygnus DOT gnu-win32 AT cygnus DOT com Distribution: cygnus Message-ID: <32DEE477.3F71.cygnus.gnu-win32@netcom.com> References: <1 DOT 5 DOT 4 DOT 16 DOT 19970116123433 DOT 252f4572 AT scooter DOT gcal DOT ac DOT uk> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (WinNT; I) Original-To: "M.Carter" Original-CC: gnu-win32 AT cygnus DOT com Original-Sender: owner-gnu-win32 AT cygnus DOT com M.Carter wrote: > It is better to use the standard components of an already existing > operating system, rather than trying to go it alone by adding extra bits. The standard operating system in this case is ... UNIX!!! The GNU code is all written for unix. That's what cygwin tries to emulate. If you want something different, there are utilities out there ported to native Windows. You should try http://www.itribe.net/virtunix; you will find bunches of utilities like grep and so on that use Windows pathnames and don't require DLLs. If you want a shell, they've got "an initial port" of tcsh. cygwin fulfills a *different* need. > Unless there's a compelling reason to do so, of course. The fact that all the GNU code is written for UNIX is pretty compelling. Remember that cygwin not only provides the utilities, it provides a FREE development environment. That means gcc, g++, obj-c, GNAT/ADA, ld, as, gdb, the entire GNU libc, etc. etc. All this code was written for ... UNIX!! I hope you are starting to get the point. :-) > I would be > the first one to admit that a PC's operating system is 'less than > perfect' (in fact, if there was a competition for the worst designed > operating system currently on the market, the PC operating system in > all it's glorious flavours [Dos, Win 3.11, Win 95] would win it), and > I'm sure that 99% of the people reading this email would agree with me. > Even the humble Amiga has an operating system that has more coherency > to it. > > Windows 95 - it's not THAT bad. You are welcome to start porting bash and the rest of the utilities to native Win95. Have fun. > This email was written with the sneaking expectation that it would generate > a lot of response, so I apologise if some people think that this is not > the appropriate forum to discuss these matters. It really isn't the appropriate forum to discuss whether cygwin should be something that it isn't. -- - For help on using this list, send a message to "gnu-win32-request AT cygnus DOT com" with one line of text: "help".