cygwin

[David Roberts]

On Thu, 16 Jan 2003, Jerry Feldman stated in their Email:

gaf> From: Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
gaf> To: discuss at gnhlug.org
gaf> Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 21:24:18 -0500
gaf> Subject: Re: cygwin
gaf> 
gaf> On Thu, 16 Jan 2003 16:22:50 -0500
gaf> pll at lanminds.com wrote:
gaf> 
gaf> > I'm pretty sure it goes in a .profile (or etc.).  I've not used
gaf> > Cygwin extensively, but it seemed that when you were operating 
gaf> > in the Cygwin environment, you were effectively in a real 
gaf> > UNIX-like environment, and things behaved "properly", i.e. not 
gaf> > like Windows.
gaf> One of my students downloaded cygwin in class tonight, and I had
gaf> a chance to play with it after class. He wanted to know where the
gaf> C compiler was. After looking at the setup program, most of my
gaf> questions were answered. The last timne I downloaded Cygwin, it
gaf> did not have X support and you did not have a choice of what you
gaf> downloaded. On the current version you get to chose the packages.
gaf> My question about the PATH variable is answered.
gaf> 
gaf> Another issue is that the Unix server at Northeastern is going
gaf> away in the spring, and the school is pondering how to teach
gaf> Unix. While I would prefer a dual boot (or VMWare) solution with
gaf> Windows and Linux, Cygwin appears to be a pretty decent solution
gaf> if you can't have a real Unix system, and a good solution for
gaf> students who only have Windows on their home computers.

<RANT>

I know this might start a flame war, but IMNSHO ANY school 
which is trying to teach a Unix class, but is not running 
Unix system to teach it on, is NOT worth my paying the them 
the money ($$$/yr) for the privilege.  This reminds me in 
a way of a Bait-N-Switch program: the school catalog says 
"we teach UNIX" - but it's on top of Micro$oft...  I have 
run into enough situations where "Unix-on-top-of-Windows" 
environments blow up that I now refuse to to be a party to 
it, all my "Windows" systems have been converted to dual 
boot merely because of my previous "education".

I realize you have to work with what you are given, but if 
I had to teach a college level UNIX class I would probably 
have a prerequisite the people in the class *RUN* some 
flavor of Unix on their systems (with the latest versions 
of Linux out there this is not only "free", but is easy to 
manage as well).  A week or two of "Introduction to 
Unix/Linux" and a few in-class/lab install fests would get 
the whole class on a somewhat level playing ground, and 
ease them into UNIX at the same time.

I would also have a pointed discussion with any school 
administrator who felt they could teach Unix in such a 
bastardized environment.  You could get away with it if 
you were merely scratching the surface (only teaching the 
basic UNIX commands), but any in-depth topics would be 
prone to failure at some point and the Windows brainwash 
should be broken as well (again, IMNOHO).

</RANT>

I shall now retire to my corner and await my whipping...

-- 
"Linux: Because a PC is a terrible thing to waste."
   -- As seen on the 'net --