Message-ID:	<8D53104ECD0CD211AF4000A0C9D60AE3015CAC57@probe-2.acclaim-euro.net>
From:	Shawn Hargreaves <ShawnH AT Probe DOT co DOT uk>
To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: Can we vote on letting RSXNTDJ rest in peace?
Date:	Thu, 26 Aug 1999 15:42:48 +0100
MIME-Version:	1.0
X-Mailer:	Internet Mail Service (5.0.1460.8)
Reply-To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com

Johan Venter writes:
>>> I say we boycot RSXNTDJ and refer anyone who asks about it in the 
>>> future to Mumit Kahn's distribution of Mingw32.
>>
>> You cannot boycot free software.  It doesn't work.
>
> OK, I may have jumped the gun a bit there. I got a bit carried away. 
> My apologies.
>
> I have, however, emailed Rainer and I eagerly await his reply.

I don't understand why you would think that any problems with RSXNTDJ
need to be complained about to Rainer, or that it should be withdrawn
from distribution. IMHO this idea is missing the whole point of how/why
free software development works...

Rainer put this package together because he was interested in it,
and thought it was a fun or useful thing to work on. Then he
distributed it on the net, because that's what free software authors
do. But this doesn't mean he has to go on maintaining it after he
has lost interest or found other more interesting things to do,
and it certainly doesn't mean that the package can or should ever
be withdrawn from the net: that would be an impossible thing to do,
even if there was a good reason for it, which I don't think there is.

Personally, I've never used RSXNTDJ for serious work, but when I 
tried it once it did create working win32 programs without any
hassle. Other people say that there are some difficulties with it,
in which case they are of course welcome to use something else
instead: nobody is forcing anything onto anyone.

If you are aware of ways that RSXNTDJ could be improved, the best
thing to do would be to make these fixes. Talk to Rainer first to
get his permission, and then if he really has lost interest in
the package, you can take over the maintenance of it in his 
absence. Or if you don't want to use RSXNTDJ at all, by all means
go off and use something else instead. It doesn't hurt you that 
RSXNTDJ should still exist, so there is no reason for you to 
complain about it if it doesn't do what you need. Be happy with 
Mingw32 if that is what you prefer...


	Shawn Hargreaves.

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