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Re: [PATCH] Add FAQ How do I fix find_fast_cwd warnings?


On 2017-11-13 05:05, Corinna Vinschen wrote:
> On Nov 13 00:04, Brian Inglis wrote:
>> On 2017-11-12 16:02, Ken Brown wrote:
>>> On 11/12/2017 4:27 PM, Brian Inglis wrote:
>>>> +    <para>Some ancient Cygwin releases asked users to report problems that were
>>>> +      difficult to diagnose to the mailing list with the message:</para>
>>>> +
>>>> +    <screen>find_fast_cwd: WARNING: Couldn't compute FAST_CWD pointer. Please
>>>> report
>>>> +    this problem to the public mailing listcygwin@cygwin.com</screen>
>>>> +
>>>> +    <para>These problems were fixed long ago in updated Cygwin releases.</para>
>>>
>>> The wording of the warning message was changed 3 years ago, in commit 0793492. 
>>> I'm not sure that qualifies as ancient.  I also don't think it's accurate to
>>> refer to the problem as "difficult to diagnose" or to say that the problems
>>> "were fixed long ago".
>>
>> The original message was added in 2011 - 1.7.10 maybe earlier - NT4 support was
>> dropped around then - pretty ancient in Cygwin terms of how many Windows
>> releases have had support dropped since then!
>>
>>> The issue (Corinna will correct me if I'm wrong) is simply that new releases of
>>> Windows sometimes require changes in how Cygwin finds the fast_cwd pointer.  So
>>> users of old versions of Cygwin on new versions of Windows might have problems,
>>> and this can certainly happen again in the future.  But the FAQ doesn't need to
>>> go into that.  Why not just say what the warning currently says (see
>>> path.cc:find_fast_cwd()):
>>>
>>> "This typically occurs if you're using an older Cygwin version on a newer
>>> Windows.  Please update to the latest available Cygwin version from
>>> https://cygwin.com/. ; If the problem persists, please see
>>> https://cygwin.com/problems.html.";
>>>
>>> You can also add your sentence about contacting the vendor who provided the old
>>> Cygwin release.
>>
>> We are trying in the FAQ entry to persuade an annoyed user that it may be in
>> their best interest to do some remediation, rather than just complain in an
>> email to an org they think is a company (cygwin.com) they have never heard of,
>> who they expect from their application message to take care of their problem
>> with no other effort on their part, and who they can blame if nothing happens.
>>
>> Assuming they find the FAQ entry, emphatic language may persuade them to do
>> something more than the message says they should do.
> 
> Nevertheless, Ken has a point.
> 
> s/ancient/older and the text should really explain the "older Cygwin on
> newer Windows" problem without necessarily going into too much detail.
> "The problem has been fixed" just doesn't fit the facts.

I guess I may have been a little enthusiastic to get something out there we
could refer to in future - and reduce the annoyance level for both posters and
subscribers - attaching a hopefully more accurate diff for comment, also
addressing some of the other points I suggested.

-- 
Take care. Thanks, Brian Inglis, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Attachment: 0001-add-FAQ-How-do-I-fix-find_fast_cwd-warnings.patch
Description: Text document


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