Can one of you WinNT users step up to the plate?

[Paul E. Johnson]

I don't do Windows anymore, but I'm still trying to help windows users
that come along.  Lately, a few people that are unfamiliar with GNU
stuff have asked me what to do and I usually waste their time guessing. 
So I want from one of you veters a completely literal list of things a
person must do to make one application run.  So far, this is what I know

1. Install the 2 cygnus packages.

2. Run the swarm install, which puts a Swarm item in the start menu.

(here is where the wheels fall off, since I don't know about directories
in WinNT).

3.  What then?  The last time I booted into WinNT, It was for Swarm 1.1
and so I gather things have changed.  I wrote this back then:


"After the swarm install runs, then it pops up a BASH shell and you type 

  "make -C swarm-1.1"
  "cd swarmapps-1.1/heatbugs"
  "make"
  "./heatbugs.exe"

That should run it."

I gather that no longer is necessary.  Users now untar the swarmapps
themselves?  

Presumably, the Swarm bash has SWARMHOME set in it?  Does the Swarm Bash
make any assumptions about where you untar the swarmapps or build your
projects?

Isn't there a README for these things?  It must not be obvious where it
is,judging from the feedback I get.

4. People ask me "what about emacs". How do I do that?   I imagine they
should download it.  I did that about a year ago. But then I also recall
mention that MD had rigged the Swarm Bash somehow to be ready for
emacs.  Not so?  In Windows, there are no home directories where things
like .emacs live. Where in windows?

If somebody will just imagine they are a new user and write down the
steps, I will put it in the FAQ and we will not have frustrated
newcomers.  I know there are lots of you windows lovers out there.

Puts me in mind of the sig of a VA research guy:

On the Web, no one can tell you use Windows NT.
Neither can they hear your screams!

-- 
Paul E. Johnson                         email: address@hidden
Dept. of Political Science              http://lark.cc.ukans.edu/~pauljohn
University of Kansas                    Office: (785) 864-9086
Lawrence, Kansas 66045                  FAX: (785) 864-5700

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