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

[Pietro Terna]

        Dear Paul,

        below you find a few notes about your questions, but related to Windows
98; I guess that Windows NT is similar, but I'm not sure.

        Pietro

At 10.56 31/12/98 -0600, you wrote:
>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.

        OK. From CD this is obtained pressing the button "Installa GNU Win32 to
hard disk" in the menu produced by the autorun of the file menu.exe.

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

        Newly from CD, pressing the button "Install Swarm ...

>
>(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. 

        OK.

 Users now untar the swarmapps
>themselves?  

        OK
        
>
>Presumably, the Swarm bash has SWARMHOME set in it?  

        Yes.
        
Does the Swarm Bash
>make any assumptions about where you untar the swarmapps or build your
>projects?

        Nope.

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

        Nope.

>
>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?

        Emacs can be run from CD (always with a button) or installing it to hard
disk from CD; it is not simple for people without computer experience.

        Anyway, I use a simple editor to prepare my files.

        A suggestion: in Windows 98 one can run Swarm (compiling, running apps)
also from a dos shell.

>
>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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                  ==================================
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   to day usage of Swarm.  For list administration needs (esp.
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