From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Cosmin Truta Newsgroups: gmane.comp.lib.gnulib.bugs,gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: [Zlib-devel] Avoiding WIN* macros in GNU code Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:07:13 -0400 Sender: bug-gnulib-bounces+gnu-bug-gnulib=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Trace: main.gmane.org 1055455560 11349 80.91.224.249 (12 Jun 2003 22:06:00 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@main.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 22:06:00 +0000 (UTC) Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org Original-X-From: bug-gnulib-bounces+gnu-bug-gnulib=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Fri Jun 13 00:05:55 2003 Return-path: Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 19QaCh-0002w8-00 for ; Fri, 13 Jun 2003 00:05:55 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.20) id 19QaEz-0003Mq-Rt for gnu-bug-gnulib@m.gmane.org; Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:08:17 -0400 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.20) id 19QaES-00033y-Iq for bug-gnulib@gnu.org; Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:07:44 -0400 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.20) id 19QaEK-0002xe-92 for bug-gnulib@gnu.org; Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:07:36 -0400 Original-Received: from yonge.cs.toronto.edu ([128.100.1.8]) by monty-python.gnu.org with smtp (Exim 4.20) id 19QaEC-0002ua-6a; Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:07:28 -0400 Original-Received: from jane.cs.toronto.edu ([128.100.5.248]) by yonge.cs.toronto.edu with SMTP id <200097-5566>; Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:07:26 -0400 Original-Received: from qew.cs.toronto.edu by jane.cs.toronto.edu id <453215-5391>; Thu, 12 Jun 2003 18:07:15 -0400 X-X-Sender: cosmin@qew.cs Original-To: Richard Stallman In-Reply-To: Original-cc: d.love@dl.ac.uk Original-cc: bug-gnulib@gnu.org Original-cc: Zlib-devel@zlib.net X-BeenThere: bug-gnulib@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1b5 Precedence: list List-Id: The GNUlib portability library bug discussion list List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Archive: List-Unsubscribe: , Errors-To: bug-gnulib-bounces+gnu-bug-gnulib=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.comp.lib.gnulib.bugs:548 gmane.emacs.devel:15071 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.devel:15071 On Thu, 12 Jun 2003, Richard Stallman wrote: > The abbreviation is not WIN, but it is WIN32. > > Same difference. > > By the way, what is the problem with using WIN32? > > It includes the word "win", and we don't want to call Microsoft > Windows a win. I understand. Should we do the same in zlib? Is there an official GNU coding standard that states this? There is still a very peculiar problem with WINDOWSNT: it indicates a version of MS Windows that is based on an NT kernel, as opposed to a version based on a Win9x kernel. The official _WINNT symbol indicates exactly this. Software rely on it when calling Windows NT-specific services. The confusion created by WINDOWSNT is similar to one created by a hypothetical REDHAT_LINUX symbol that would mean "GNU/Linux in general". So may I suggest something like WINDOWS32 or MSWINDOWS32 instead? I believe no other windowing system uses WINDOWS or WINDOWS32... I also wish to point out that the introduction of a yet another new macro doesn't help. The old ones must still be maintained, because compilers (including gcc/Win32) preset them, and users rely on them. Like it or not ... those macros are official, and well-known among Windows programmers. (After all, is this "Win32" naming thing one of Microsoft's strategic moves? :) Best regards, Cosmin