[GRASS-web] GRASS Installation in MSWin

[Tony Hürlimann]

GRASS seems to be a great software. 
Unfortunately, I work on Windows XP actually. (I 
am not specially happy with that, but that's the way it is now)
I just want you give a feedback on my first 
(unsuccessful) experience on installation GRASS 
as a totally naive user of the Linux world!

Ok. I was instructed to go to the download page

http://grass.itc.it/download/index.php

There I find the link (GRASS 6.3 (Testing) Installer:

http://grass.itc.it/grass63/binary/mswindows/cygwin/

Ok. On the new page I am instructed that I need 
cygwin, hmm... never seen... but ok, what should 
I do next? Now I am lost, because:

1) I don't know how to unpack a file like 
grass-6.3.0-2.cygwin.tar.bz2 (what is this format?)

2) Should I go to the http://www.cygwin.com/ page 
first to install cygwin? I hesitate because I 
also see a file called 
gdal-1.5.1-1.cygwin.tar.bz2. Is this the cygwin I 
need? How can I unpack it. I need more 
information abount the *.bz2 file type. Ok: I 
goole "*.bz2 file type" where I am informed that 
*.bz2 is a popular format. Sorry I didn't know! 
Hmmm... I have no time to search for free program 
unpacking .... Or ist there a program on my 
Windows that does it? I have no idea. I would be nice to be informed.

3) Ok. I read on the same page after "Prerequisites"

"For installation of Cygwin, see 
http://geni.ath.cx/grass.html#toc5. These 
instructions can be used, but at step #3 use 
http://grass.ibiblio.org/grass63/binary/mswindows/cygwin/ 
(or a local mirror) instead of 
http://geni.ath.cx/grass. Also, in step #5 the 
version is 6.3.0-1 instead of 6.0.cvs-1, and there's no grass.bat script."

Then I click the link 
"http://geni.ath.cx/grass.html#toc5" where I hope to find "The instructions".
Instead I find a text as follows:

"MS-Windows native binary
6.3.CVS September 17, 2006 (Updated!) "

???I do not understand. GRASS6.3 is a native 
program now?? and it was created already in 
2006??? Why on another page it was announced to be the last version?

Sorry that is to much for me! I have no time to proceed.....

Tony Hürlimann






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PD Dr. Tony Hürlimann
Departement of Informatics, University of Fribourg
Bld. Perolles 90
CH-1700 Fribourg / Switzerland

email : tony.huerlimann at unifr.ch
   or  : tony at virtual-optima.com
www   : www.virtual-optima.com
phone : ++41 26 300 83 45 / 076 562 65 68
fax   :  ++41 26 300 97 26
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