Re: [PHP4BETA] Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: [PHP4BETA] PHP 4.0.0 Release packaged

> I will use a 'real-world example here. I remember this post, because the 
> answer *shocked* me. I would expect such an answer from a 16 years old boy. 
> Not from a mature man. 
> http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=php4beta&m=95754702605916&w=2 )
> 
> >List:     php4beta
> >Subject:  Re: [PHP4BETA] building php4 snap on win32
> >From:     Rasmus Lerdorf <[email protected]>
> >Date:     2000-05-05 17:15:50
> >[Download message RAW]
> >
> > > our admin today built the latest php4 snap for Linux and said that there 
> > > were several bugs which hindered compiling.
> > > He patched them and built PHP4 for Linux.
> >
> >I hope he submitted appropriate bug reports.
> >
> > > I want to use the latest PHP4 version too, but I´m develeoping in Win32 
> > > and never built something on Win32.
> > > Can I use the latest snaps for this (I need gd 1.8.1 support)?
> > > Can someone provide me an URL where to retrieve a compiler for building 
> > > PHP4 (I do not want to install the MSDN)...
> >
> >You are pretty much stuck with MSVC.  You are using a commercial OS, so
> >you are stuck with commercial tools as well.  Sorry.  There are plenty of
> >free operating systems and tools available to you.
> >
> >-Rasmus

Excuse me?  What is shocking about this response?  The fact that I
reminded someone to tell us about bugs or that I told someone that they
needed MSVC to compile PHP for Windows?  There are no decent free
development environment for Windows.  This is not something we can do much
about.  And we do no provide snapshot binary releases for Windows.  There
is nothing immature about this response.  It was a calm and reasoned
response letting someone know the state of things.  

The only real complaint you can have here is that we should be providing
Windows snapshots for people.  However, we also do not provide compiled
snapshots for Unix.  The snapshots we provide are source-code only and
they are actually not Unix specific in any way.  We provide source code
snapshots and if you have MSVC you can compile these on NT with a bit of
effort.  We even provide pretty detailed instructions for doing so.  See:

  http://www.php.net/version4/win32build.php

I don't doubt that there have been some cheeky responses to Windows users
every now and then, but you decided to pick on one of my responses which
was a far cry from being unfair in any way.  Someone wanted free tools to
build PHP for Windows and I told them they didn't really exist, but if the
tools being free was an important aspect they were available under free
operating systems.

-Rasmus