[Xastir] cvs notes w/cygwin

[Jack Twilley]

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>>>>> "Kirk" == Kirk Mefford <kc2elo at softhome.net> writes:

Jack> Traditionally, the README.win32 file is for issues regarding
Jack> xastir itself and libraries and applications it uses.  Strictly
Jack> speaking, this issue -- while important -- is with the CVS
Jack> application, which is neither part of xastir nor is it used by
Jack> xastir, which is probably why it's not covered.

Kirk> I made note of it because the readme.win32 file does make a note
Kirk> about making ".cvsrc" It would make sense to point out to those
Kirk> who are trying to understand everything involved with installing
Kirk> xastir under windows systems.  The way the file is created
Kirk> obviously matters and isn't something most people would think
Kirk> about.

Perhaps that note should be updated, then, with the information you
provided.  Personally, I never even considered using Notepad since
xastir works inside Cygwin and thus the standard Unix tools were
available to me, but I accept that not everyone thinks that way.

Jack> The assumption is that folks who use the CVS version of xastir
Jack> know how to use CVS.

Kirk> That's not a fair assumption to make.  Just because someone goes
Kirk> through the trouble to get xastir running doesn't mean they know
Kirk> the ins and outs of every program used.

With all due respect, I disagree with you.  There is a reasonable
expectation that anyone who uses a pre-release piece of software
directly from the source code repository has a higher level of skill
than the average person installing a released piece of software in
package form.  This stuff is bleeding edge -- sometimes one of the
developers will accidentally check in a file that has a vicious bug
which can destroy data or even damage radios, let alone violate FCC
rules or good operating practice -- and should be treated with respect
due its potentially unstable nature.

Kirk> The README.win32 file does a pretty good job of detailing
Kirk> exactly what needs to be done to make Xastir run on a win32
Kirk> machine for those that may not know squat about unix/linux.  I
Kirk> was just trying to make one of those such details more clear.

Which you did, and which will probably help other people when it is
added to the README.win32 file.  However, it's still my opinion that
xastir isn't a Windows application, it's a Cygwin application, and
thus people who don't know squat about Unix are destined to have
difficulty with using xastir -- let alone building it -- until they
take the time to understand just what they're doing and how they're
doing it.

I'd go on, but I'd run the risk of flaming and I'm trying to avoid the
impression that I'm an arrogant holier-than-thou jerk who thinks he
knows everything.  I just have rather strong feelings on some of these
issues.  Nothing I've said should be interpreted as any sort of
judgment of your skills, abilities or interests, Kirk, you're just the
one who happened to push one of my buttons.

Jack.
- -- 
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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