814982 - Change Windows default build to OS_ARCH=WIN95 - and rename WINNT to indicate it's obsolete

Status: ASSIGNED

(NSPR :: NSPR, defect, P2)

Description

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

When configuring a windows build. without providing the OS_TARGET environment variable, the build will use the WINNT configuration.

But the WINNT configuration is outdated - we recommend the use of the configuration named WIN95.

I propose to avoid problems by users who are not aware of this detail.

I propose to change the default of NSPR on Windows to use OS_TARGET=WIN95

Comment 1

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

In addition, the WIN95 config should be renamed, in order to make it clear that WIN95 is the recommended and more modern configuration.

For example
  WINNT - rename to WINOLD
and
  WIN95 - rename to WINDOWS


(I don't like the idea to rename WIN95 to WIN32, because WIN32 sounds like "32 bit only".)

Comment 2

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

After some more brainstorming, I'd like to suggest a different approach - and I propose we do sometihng soon - because I noticed in bug 832272 that more people use the "obsolete" NSPR build config - WINNT is obsolete.

My wish is to use an approach, that will cause the least possible trouble for everyone who is already using the good configuration - and trigger a reminder for people who are still using the obsolete one.

Here is the proposal:

- keep the config name WIN95 unchanged for now
- change the default to WIN95
- rename WINNT to WINOLD

This way, everyone already using WIN95 will continue to be fine,
and everyone using WINNT should run into a build failure.

Comment 3

[(not currently active) Ted Mielczarek]

This sounds eminently reasonable to me.

Comment 4

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

Also, I suspect it is sufficient to adjust the places where the OS_TARGET variable refer to the value WINNT.

If the above is sufficient, then I propose to keep the WINNT variable name of OS_ARCH unchanged, and also to keep the WINNT #define unchanged, in order to minize side effects and noise.

Comment 5

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

Attachment: Patch v1

untested patch v1

After this change, there are no longer any lines in NSPR that contain both OS_TARGET and WINNT (except for the occurrent in configure[.in] where I try to reject that combination).

Comment 6

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

Comment on attachment 707200 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch v1

Could this be sufficient?

Comment 7

[(not currently active) Ted Mielczarek]

Comment on attachment 707200 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch v1

Review of attachment 707200 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I like this approach, but I don't think you've changed enough in configure. There are many codepaths that will still set OS_ARCH=WINNT, which will result in OS_TARGET=WINNT. I think you should change those all to set OS_ARCH=WIN95 to avoid having the default configuration be something that doesn't build.

Comment 8

[Wan-Teh Chang]

Thank you for the patch. There is some obsolete stuff in configure.in
for supporting building on Windows 9x machines that we should remove
first.

Comment 9

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

(In reply to Wan-Teh Chang from comment #8)
> Thank you for the patch. There is some obsolete stuff in configure.in
> for supporting building on Windows 9x machines that we should remove
> first.

In my opinion, asking for optional work (that nobody has been able to focus on yet) 
should never be an argument for delaying existing patches that are an improvement.

Comment 10

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

never mind. I hope someone will be able to focus on the additional required changes some day. This bug isn't a high priority for me.

Comment 11

[Masatoshi Kimura [:emk]]

(In reply to Kai Engert (:kaie) from comment #2)
> After some more brainstorming, I'd like to suggest a different approach -
> and I propose we do sometihng soon - because I noticed in bug 832272 that
> more people use the "obsolete" NSPR build config - WINNT is obsolete.

Bug 772226 is another instance.

Comment 12

[Kai Engert [:KaiE:]]

You changed the default to WIN95 in bug 947652.

Do you still want to rename WINNT, or can we close this dupe/wontfix?