From: fjh@cs.mu.OZ.AU (Fergus Henderson) Subject: Re: Debian/Win32 9 Aug 1997 21:48:51 -0700 Approved: cygnus.gnu-win32@cygnus.com Distribution: cygnus Message-ID: <199708100405.OAA15240.cygnus.gnu-win32@mundook.cs.mu.OZ.AU> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Original-To: jim@jimpick.com (Jim Pick) Original-Cc: win32@lists.debian.org (win32), gnu-win32@cygnus.com (Cygnus GNU-win32 mailing list) In-Reply-To: <199708100321.UAA22814@fleming.jimpick.com> from Jim Pick at "Aug 9, 97 08:21:31 pm" X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL15 (25)] Original-Sender: owner-gnu-win32@cygnus.com [This discussion originated on win32@lists.debian.org, but I'm sending this to both that list and gnu-win32@cygnus.com]. Jim Pick, you wrote: > > > 2) The Cygnus distribution is not FSSTND based. I think we > > > can just juggle the files around into their proper places without > > > causing too much grief. > > > > Yes. Maybe we can persuade Cygnus to make their distribution FSSTND based. > > Or maybe we can convince them to concentrate on building the winsup/newlib > "kernel" layer, and leave the distribution building to us. That's > exactly what we do with Linux. That would be a good idea. > > > I don't like how the Cygnus distribution defaults to mounting the > > > \ directory at C:\ - it would be much nicer to mount this directory > > > at a different (user specified) location (ie. C:\debw32). That > > > way, all the standard FSSTND directories (/bin /dev /etc /home /lib > > > /proc /root /sbin /tmp /usr /var) wouldn't pollute the C:\ > > > directory. That's fairly important if we want to put it into > > > widespread use. > > > > This is also worth suggesting to Cygnus. > > Their InstallShield installer should have a dialogue box so > > that the user can choose where to mount the root directory. > > The default ought to be something other than \. > > Well, we can do it ourselves, and Cygnus can check it out. I'm > sure they'd be interested. > > InstallShield basically does the same job as dpkg, but not in as > good a manner. And it isn't a "free" tool. Cygnus would be ill-advised > to attempt to build a distribution with it. Frankly, if they are > going to build a distribution, they should using either rpm, dpkg, > or the FreeBSD package tools. Or stay out of the distribution building > business altogether (like what Linus does). Cygwin32 is really a base system (or at least the winsup/newlib parts are). Installing the base system is a bit different to installing additional packages. Is there a free tool that does as well as InstallShield does with regard to the Win32 user interface? > > > 7) I'm still interested in building a glibc-based layer, since that > > > would be an opportunity to do things in a more standard way. > > > > Yes, this is still a good idea. > > I was also wondering (and perhaps someone else would have more knowledge > in this area) - wouldn't it also be possible, down the road, to run > Linux binaries in ELF format on Win32 using an emulation layer? I know > FreeBSD can do this, and Linux does this with the iBCS package for > other binaries. It ought to be technically possible. It would certainly be very neat. > Another weird idea - I wonder if cygwin32.dll would operate under WINE > or TWIN? That might be nice for development purposes. :-) -- Fergus Henderson | "I have always known that the pursuit WWW: | of excellence is a lethal habit" PGP: finger fjh@128.250.37.3 | -- the last words of T. S. Garp. - For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "gnu-win32-request@cygnus.com" with one line of text: "help".