Re: data set opening bug

[John Darrington]

On Sun, Feb 07, 2016 at 11:03:04AM -0600, Alan Mead wrote:
     >      
     >      So, where do you get a real production version ?
     >      
     > ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/pspp
     
     So, unless you can compile PSPP yourself, there is no "official" PSPP
     release. 

Yes, that is correct (and it is explicitly and prominently stated on the web 
site's "download" page, so should come as no surprise to anyone).
     
     And, oh, BTW, no one knows how to compile PSPP on Windows -- because of
     dependencies like GSL, and because of differences in the GNU-based build
     system used by PSPP versus something like MS Visual Studio, it would
     take more than the usual wizardry to do so. 

Dependent libraries do complicate the build process,  but that is not an issue
that is unique to Windows.    Another way, is to use cygwin which eases the 
dependency problem.  Last time I tried that it was relatively straightfowrard - 
although I haven't tried recently.   Also I think that building natively on 
Windows using mingw-sys would work too, but I have never tried it.  As for 
Visual Studio, I have never found it easy to do anything with that, but I think 
it would be possible if somebody was determined enough.


The makers of the vast majority of operating systems have bundled a released 
version
of PSPP, so building yourself is not necessary.    Unfortunately Windows is not
one of those systems.  People who use Windows and want PSPP therefore have 
three options:

1. Use Harry's binaries.
2. Build it themselves.
3. Ask Microsoft to bundle PSPP and hope they listen.


It is also pertinent to note, that Windows is not the recommended platform for
PSPP.  As with all GNU software, GNU PSPP works best on GNU.

J'


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