Hi,

Hoping that Bazaar 1.14 really fixes its problems on Windows (I still don't have tested if it really works), I have done a summary of the status of Squid on Windows, focusing on various aspects: build environment, resources for development, source code status and a TODO for both Squid 2 and Squid 3.


Build environment

Squid should compile on Windows with 3 build environment, but with some limits:

- MinGW+MSYS: full automake/autoconf/libtool/gcc support based on GNU toolset, but not all functionality (Large file support, IPv6, mswin_check_ad_group helper, WSAPoll() support on Vista and later, 64 bit Windows support, AIO) can be compiled because a lack of many library definitions. The generated code quality is good and runs natively on Windows using the MSVCRT, good performances. - Cygwin: similar to MinGW, but with more problems. The Windows API libraries are common to MinGW, so, same compile problems, but moreover, the build environment itself is very inconstant due to continuous changes from Cygwin developers and many times the Squid build process fails after a Cygwin update. The generated code is not so good, because it relies on an emulation layer, with worse performances. - MS Visual Studio: it lacks any kind of configure script support, some of the "magic" is done using some special make projects included in the main Workspace. But all functionality can be compiled. The generated code quality is good and runs natively on Windows using the MSVCRT, good performances.

So, Visual Studio environment is still a must for Squid 3 on Windows.


Resources for development

Currently I'm the only developer working on Windows, but Squid for Acme Consulting today is a very marginal business, because we are mainly focused on services for Windows System Administration/Deployment and because it seems that IT Italian Market is not so interested to Squid (not only on Windows). For this reason currently we cannot invest into Squid deployment, so I can dedicate only a little part of my limited free time to Squid Development.


Source code status

While Squid 2 source code is fine, things for Squid 3 are disastrous:
Squid 3 (trunk and 3.1) was no more compiled on Visual Studio since March 2008, so the effects of all subsequent big changes are totally untested on Windows. At the time of the bazaar cutover, the IPv6 support on Windows was still missing. Today the Visual Studio workspace is totally outdated and needs a big work to be repaired. Just to more complicate things, the NT CVS branch on Sourgeforge is corrupted since two months by a very big cvsmerge failed for a time-out during script execution.


TODO Squid 2

- Upgrade Visual Studio support from old 6.0 (even if it's very good, but obsolete) to 2008 (better if we can use the free version) - Add real run-time support for WSAPoll() on Windows Vista and later, the Enhancement from the bug #1739 is required


TODO Squid 3

- Allow Squid to build again on Visual Studio
- Check if Squid 3 still runs on Windows ....
- Upgrade Visual Studio support from 2005 to 2008 (better if we can use the free version)
- Add IPv6 support
- Add real run-time support for WSAPoll() on Windows Vista and later, the Enhancement from the bug #1739 is required
- .....


IMHO, the port of Squid 3 on Windows seems to be too much damaged for my capabilities and time resources, so, without any other big development contribution, we should drop it.

Regards

Guido



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========================================================
Guido Serassio
Acme Consulting S.r.l. - Microsoft Certified Partner
Via Lucia Savarino, 1           10098 - Rivoli (TO) - ITALY
Tel. : +39.011.9530135  Fax. : +39.011.9781115
Email: guido.seras...@acmeconsulting.it
WWW: http://www.acmeconsulting.it/

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