[GRASS-dev] GRASS and QGIS on Win32, testing etc.

[Hamish]

Benjamin
> Let's just forget about Cygwin.

Michael :
> >> Cygwin is the old, stopgap method to get GRASS running in some way
> >> under windows. However, it is difficult to install, especially on
> >> lab machines and often conflicts with Byzantine Windows security
> >> measures. I believe the Cygwin is being maintained, but not being
> >> actively developed.
Glynn:
> > There's nothing to "develop".
Paul:
> Yes, just to re-iterate that point - I've been using GRASS on Cygwin
> for years (not recently though) and it is stable and full-featured.
> Have also introduced several non-Unix users to GRASS through Cygwin.
> In my experience though if people are scared of Unix, they won't like
> it. But it's a very viable option for using GRASS on Windows.


Cygwin is the only fully functional, stable, and mature version of GRASS
on Windows available today. That is, everything that works in a normal
UNIX version of GRASS works in Cygwin- it's a complete "port" (because
it isn't a port at all). It's ready to be used, now.

FWIW, in my introducing GRASS to new users I have learnt that it is
better to install an older stable version vs pushing a latest-greatest
development version: it's frustrating for me, but they don't miss much
new features which don't yet exist in the stable version. But trying
to explain that something is broken now, but it worked last week, so
wait two days and we'll recompile, ..., just doesn't cut it.
A year later, they are still using GRASS 5.7 as it is installed and it
works- and not very interested in an upgrade as it might disturb their
working solution.

ie the old solution isn't necessarily so bad, just because it is old.
Cygwin may not be the future of winGRASS, but it still has its place.
Giving a new non-Unixy user beta software does not have positive
outcomes. Icon from the desktop startup avoids most terminal prompt
exposure.


> However, it is difficult to install,

I can't help with negotiations with afraid-of-the-unknown IT staff, but
the Cygwin 6.2.1 package should be much easier to install than previous
versions, so try again if you haven't in a while. It's nothing like a
grass_setup.exe, but it is much smoother than it was.


With their permission, I would like to add Huidae Cho's Cygwin install
instructions and Lorenzo's startup instructions into the add-ons SVN, so
we can generate updated PDF+HTML guides as needed, whenever we do a new
release.


Hamish