Re: No console output: gcj Windows cross-compiler

["Ranjit Mathew" <rmathew at gmail dot com>]

On 4/5/06, Mohan Embar <gnustuff@thisiscool.com> wrote:
> >Sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't wake up this morning
> >filled with love for Windows.
>
> >I continue to love Linux and try to do anything I can to
> >make it an even better platform.
>
> One way of doing that is by whetting Windows developers' appetites
> with MinGW gcj, thereby turning them on to free software, Open
> Source, free OSes, etc. From my personal experience, many of those
> interested in MinGW gcj are also interested in producing Linux x86
> executables too, which in turns forces their exposure to Linux.
> People wanting to build MinGW gcj also have to be exposed to Linux
> for an optimal build experience. It's all part of the Master Plan.

Let me clarify: whatever little work I have done on GCJ is not
because I have a nefarious plan to force every Windows user
to "convert" to Linux.

I personally find Linux to be a far saner and faster development
environment. I also value the fact that I can actually see the
source code for every component in the system and rebuild
the whole thing myself. This is therefore a platform that I care
for (among the few platforms that I have been exposed to).

On a project like GCJ/GCC that is largely driven by volunteer
effort, the "best" support will always be for the platforms that
people care for and are willing to put in the hacking effort for.
Of course, people can be paid moolah and made to hack for
other platforms.

I still did some stuff for Windows more out of technical
curiosity than out of any love for the platform (or when it was
not very difficult to do it). I find the design of Windows to
be very ugly and some of their decisions leave me with a "What
were they smoking?!" feeling. (Though the blogs of Raymond
Chen have shed light on some of the decisions and many
others can be traced to a desire to be compatible with OSs
all the way back to DOS.)

However, Windows isn't something that I actually want to
hack for, that too in my (badly-managed) free time.


Thanks,
Ranjit.

--
Ranjit Mathew      Email: rmathew AT gmail DOT com

Bangalore, INDIA.    Web: http://rmathew.com/