Date: Fri, 10 Dec 93 17:08:33 -0500
From: DJ Delorie <dj AT ctron DOT com>
To: CZIWKGA AT vmsfe DOT ulcc DOT ac DOT uk
Cc: TIM AT maths DOT tcd DOT ie, DJGPP AT sun DOT soe DOT clarkson DOT edu
Subject: Re: (Q) Query from an absolute beginner


> Most of us (well, me anyway) use the binaries supplied and don't need
> to build go32 or gnuc itself from source. Unless you particularly need
> to modify go32 (and I realise some people do, although the need to do
> so should be less with 1.11 due to the better interrupt/DPMI support)
> use the binaries like the rest of us. The readme files should tell you
> which zip files are essential for this.

(1) People rebuilding go32 should know what they're doing.  Providing
clear documentation only allows others to think they know what they're
doing, which is often more dangerous.  If you're having a hard time
figuring out which compiler switches are required to compile the
sources, you probably shouldn't be trying to modify it.

(2) Go32 is a very sensitive program that shouldn't be modified
lightly.  In fact, the new features in 1.11 are designed so that you
shouldn't have to modify go32 at all (except for bug fixes).

(3) My long term goal is to obsolete go32 in favor of pure DPMI,
possibly proving a DPMI tsr if DPMI isn't popular enough by then.
Thus, you should get out of the habit of playing with go32 sources.

DJ