in reply to Compiling XS modules on Win32

Why the hell are all these open source thingies built using MICROSOFTS COMPILER. Good god. Why don't they used the windows port of gcc? Or even borlandc, atleast that things free.

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Re: Re: Compiling XS modules on Win32
by John M. Dlugosz (Monsignor) on Nov 27, 2002 at 05:39 UTC
    Or better yet, why care what compiler was used? We can link to OS functions from any compiler, so we know they all have this common ground.

    Why use Microsoft's compiler? Probably because that's what most developers on that platform are using, and they aim to that market. Those using gnu on Windows don't need ActiveState in the first place (anymore) but can just compile the Perl source for themselves.

    —John

Re: Re: Compiling XS modules on Win32
by jplindstrom (Monsignor) on Nov 28, 2002 at 21:09 UTC
    I think I remember seeing a mailing list post about that (and please correct me if I'm wrong here). The reason was that VC++ ... *gasp* generated the best code!

    So if you want a needlessly crappy perl.exe, help yourself.

    /J

Re: Re: Compiling XS modules on Win32
by John M. Dlugosz (Monsignor) on Nov 27, 2002 at 20:21 UTC
    I just remembered something. ActiveState was originally HIP, and they got a grant from Microsoft to port Perl 5 to win32, originally. So naturally they used MS's compiler, since it shipped in MS's Resource Kit for NT.