This is the mail archive of the xconq7@sources.redhat.com mailing list for the Xconq project.


Index Nav: [Date Index] [Subject Index] [Author Index] [Thread Index]
Message Nav: [Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]
Other format: [Raw text]

Standardizing the Windows build


>From private discussion with Eric, it seems there is no standard,
canonical build environment for Xconq on Windows.  There aren't even any
regular Windows developers, apparently?  Xconq development is
Linux-centric and that does not result in reliable build procedures
under Windows.  This is an impediment to Windows developers, such as
myself, contributing anything to Xconq.

I am willing to do the work of creating MS Visual Studio project files,
if we can come to a consensus on what the standards should be.  A
non-exhaustive list of issues:

- Cygwin vs. MinGW installations.  When I tried to get Freeciv built
with the latter, I had a really lousy experience.

- TCL distributions.  Eric thinks the TCL binary currently distributed
with Cygwin is broken.  I'm not sure myself, but I'm utterly unwilling
to chase TCL's tail in the absence of a consensus on the build
environment.  Some options are: Cygwin TCL binary, build TCL from
scratch under Cygwin, use the high quality ActiveState Windows native
TCL distribution.  I personally think the latter should be used because
that's what all Windows people who do TCL use.

- Weaning Xconq of Unix-specific Cygwin code.  I realize that Cygwin is
needed because Xconq is fundamentally a Unix app.  But I'd like to see
the Unix-specific stuff isolated as much as possible.  Cygwin
compilation perhaps becomes a custom build step in an otherwise MS
Visual Studio build.

- Religion about commercial IDEs.  If most of you think MS Visual Studio
is Evil, then we aren't going to get anywhere.  Most of us Windoze
developers think that being forced to use Unix-ported tools and editors
is a PITA.  We ain't gonna do it.  If you want Windoze developers, IMO
the code needs to build in an environment that most Windoze developers
are willing to use.

- Religion about versions of MS Visual Studio.  I have VS6, VS .NET
2002, and VS .NET 2003.  I would insist on having 2003.  I might be
willing to support all 3 builds, but 2003 would be the one that gets the
regular testing.

Ok, before anyone even wastes time arguing about *those* issues, I think
I'd better give you full disclosure on my various development agendas.
That way you can make up your mind whether I'd be a welcome contributor
or a downright menace.  If we're not on the same page, or compatible
pages, then open source development becomes a waste of my time compared
to proprietary development.

First disclosure: I won't write C code.  I won't even write C++ code
unless it's to heavy duty optimize something.  I have 11 years of
experience as a 3D graphics optimization jock, and I've learned the
error of my ways.  I'm only interested in higher level languages
nowadays.  As far as what I *want* to develop in, that would be Python.
As far as what I feel I *need* to develop in to be commercially
marketable, that would be C#.  The concept of Java has always bored me
to tears and still does.  You can think of me as a Python guy who's
begrudgingly doing C# so he can get gigs in Redmond.

Second disclosure: I'm interested in DirectX and .NET stuff.  Sure it's
not portable.  But, if a platform specific set of code is kept small, I
don't care.  I'm not interested in religion about how you've gotta use
portable everywhere for everything.  Sometimes it saves work, often
times it doesn't.  I believe in largely platform independent code, not
entirely platform independent code.

Third disclosure: as a game designer, I'm not interested in
conservatively tweaking and refining Xconq.  I'm interested in building
new games with Xconq code.  I don't really have a handle on your
developer culture in this regard yet... it seems you guys create some
very different things with this GDL layer of yours.  My main drive is to
get rid of things in 4X TBS games that waste time.  For instance, I
can't stand the fact that Civ games take me 16..24 hours to play.  So
much of that time is boring crap!

So, that's who I am.  Friend or foe?


Cheers,                     www.indiegamedesign.com
Brandon Van Every           Seattle, WA

Taking risk where others will not.


Index Nav: [Date Index] [Subject Index] [Author Index] [Thread Index]
Message Nav: [Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]