[CMake] Cygwin drive paths are killing me

[David Cole]

> Why are you holding back so much from giving us your real opinion of
> Cygwin?  :-)

Sorry about that, I'll have to try harder.... ;-)


> Seriously though, I wonder if some of your complaints have an answer.

I'm sure they do.


> Also, I think it is important for Windows users to have access to Unix
> distributions (plural) of free software, where "Unix" refers to
> containing all the core command-line Unix tools that Unix developers
> know and love, and distribution is defined as a substantial body of
> software beyond those core tools that is built with a consistent set
> of (Unix) build tools.

Thanks to Virtual Box (and others like it), they do have such access.
Windows users can install any Linux distribution they want into a VM on
top of Windows...

The thing I will never understand is people's refusal to learn how to
use the tools at their disposal. If you're on Windows, learn how to use
the tools that work on Windows. Don't be all crippled without your
usual toolset: learn something new!


> If you accept that premise...

I don't. I completely disagree. Windows is Windows. If you don't like
it, don't use it.


> ... then Cygwin is a really important example
> of such a Unix distribution, and the only other competitors for it
> that I am aware of at the present moment on Windows platforms are (1)
> MinGW+MSYS (a much simplified fork of an ancient Cygwin version) and
> (2) MinGW_w64+MSYS2 (a much simplified fork of modern Cygwin).

I have msys Git installed, and in its bash prompt, I have every Unix-y
tool I ever use on Windows. Mostly just grep really. And I wouldn't
even have that installed except for requiring access to git repos.


> My opinion is that MinGW+MSYS days are numbered because
> MinGW_w64+MSYS2 reportedly fixes bugs much quicker...

But isn't MSYS2 really the evolution of MSYS? (i.e. shouldn't MSYS days
be numbered if there's an MSYS2? CMake 2.8's days are numbered as well,
now that CMake 3 is out...)

And really, aren't Windows's days numbered anyhow? The writing's on the
wall. PC's will only be necessary for developers and high-volume data
crunchers in another decade.


> Dave, I well understand that since you have had trouble in the past
> with Cygwin it is all too easy for you to completely give up on it.

It was not only what I've mentioned specifically in this email.... it
was much more than that. It takes quite a lot for me to give up on
something entirely. The "more" includes: slowest file access and tools
ever, unsupportive (in demonstrable instances, even anti-supportive)
community, ... I had a whole structured rant at one point on a wiki I
used to have access to. I should have published it before I lost
access. This discussion is really just the tip of the iceberg...


> But I thought I should add my
> own suggestions and feelings to balance yours for those here who would
> like to give Cygwin (or MinGW+MSYS or MinGW_w64+MSYS2) a try without
> being too affected by our different prejudices.  :-)

Thanks for providing an alternate point of view. Multiple opinions are
very useful when somebody new is learning, and trying to make a
decision related to the discussion.

Hopefully I haven't poisoned anyone irreparably with my rhetoric here.
Take my comments with a grain of salt, and do your own research. I'm
confident you are a smart person, and can make your own conclusions
based on the evidence just fine.


Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there...

David C.