From: ptkwt@...1.aracnet.com (Phil Tomson)
Date: 2001-10-03T13:32:37+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:21980] Re: Let's work on Windows support

In article <01100219321302.00954@linux>,
Albert Wagner  <alwagner@tcac.net> wrote:
>On Monday 01 October 2001 21:51, you wrote:
>> In article <3BB8E096.C819F3BD@uark.edu>,
>>
>> Albert L. Wagner <alwagner@uark.edu> wrote:
>> >"Guy N. Hurst" wrote:
>> >> Robert Hicks wrote:
>> >
>>
>> Not really.  I don't think he's saying that we just dump Windows, but that
>> we need to consider an alternative to cygwin which we control.  
><snip>
>
>Hi, Phil.
>
>I think we each read something different into Robert's remark.  I am not 
>worried that we will dump Windows.  Personally, I hate Windows, but 
>nevertheless have to use it on my job.  My worry is that somehow the concerns 
>of Windows users will lead to compromises that eventually render Ruby not as 
>useful on Linux.  Now, don't ask me HOW.  I don't know.  At the moment it is 
>strictly an irrational fear.

I don't see that happening and I suspect that a lot of us would be vocal 
in our opposition to such an outcome.

>
>My preferred solution is for everyone to quit using windows.  

Amen!  I agree with you 100%.  I'm a Linux user, but in my previous job I 
had to use Ruby on Windows.  BTW: Part of the reason I chose Ruby over 
Perl for that task was that I could do a 'timeout' on Windows, whereas 
Perl's 'alarm' equivilent didn't work on Windows - so there's a case where 
Ruby had better Windows support for a certain functionality than Perl had.

I do have Win98 on a machine so that I can continue to develop a Win32 
library for Ruby (which I announced a couple of weeks back) (I also keep 
it around so I can do my taxes every year).  In the vein of encouraging 
people to not use Windows: I would urge folks to not buy XP, it is tied to 
your hardware configuration, so if you change your hardware XP will not 
work until you beg Redmond for mercy.  Just say no to Windows XP! (sorry 
if that's offtopic, just had to jump on the soapbox).

 > Granted, that 
>is not a solution that will find a lot of support here.  In fact it would 
>hurt me as much as anyone.  Just consider this the opinion of a very, very 
>small and crazy minority.  One man,  one vote.

Make that two votes.  But you're right, realistically Windows is going to 
be around (at least in the places where we work) for a few more years yet 
before enough people become wise to Redmond's upgrade scam.

Phil