Re: The source file culture

[Michal Kolodziejczyk <miko@...>]

steve donovan wrote:

> In summary: compilation need not be difficult and can be an automated
> task, even on Windows.

This is the most important sentence of this thread ;)

I would like to mention the Novell's openSUSE Build Service:
https://build.opensuse.org/
With this service, you can make (or Novell will make for you) a binary
package for every supported linux distro and cpu. Up to now you could
only (easily) compile packages for your distro/cpu (using your own
computer), now you can do it for others. So even in the "source culture"
this is a useful solution.

The difference between linux and windows is that it is really easy for
linux users to (re)compile a package, because all needed tools are
"built-in". In Windows world, for years you could only get binary files
(with all its problems), and you had to pay for a compiler if you wanted
to compile a program (so as an ordinary user you never wanted to compile
anything).
So I would say it is a Microsoft (and also Apple) culture which prevents
you from easily compiling any available source code. Ask Microsoft for a
service similar to Build Service, and you will get binary packages for
any of your Windows version. Or use LuaRocks (I am dreaming of similar
"Build Service" for LuaRocks, for different OS/CPUs ;)

Regards,
miko