Publisher's Description
From Cygnus Solutions:
The Cygwin tools are ports of the popular GNU development tools and utilities for Windows NT and 9x. They function through the use of the Cygwin library which provides the UNIX system calls and environment that these programs require. With the tools installed, programmers may write Win32 console or GUI applications that make use of the standard Microsoft Win32 API and/or the Cygwin API. As a result, it is possible to easily port many significant UNIX programs without the need for extensive changes to the source code.
This includes configuring and building most of the available GNU software (including the development tools included with the Cygwin distributions).
What's new in this version: Version 1.7.10-1 introduces a couple of new APIs and some changes which are supposed to reduce fork problems.
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All versions:
4.1 starsout of 19 votes
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"Best Unix-like environment on Windows"
Version: Cygwin 1.7.9-1
Pros
Good for someone to prepare Unix command on Windows
Cons
It is difficult to locate packages you need without doing exact search
Summary
It depends on the version of the Unix, some commands may work on Cygwin, but not on the Unix and vice verse.
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"It is what it says, no more, no less."
Version: Cygwin 1.5.25-14
Pros
It gives you the ability to run basic Linux-based scripts and programs on your Windows computer. It also provides the ability to use a Linux style interface instead of the Windows command prompt - including basic commands, if desired.
Cons
Prone to freezing and crashing, an odd selection of commands don't work, and it's an obscure solution in the day of cheap RAM and VirtualBox / VMWare.
Summary
If you can use a Linux VM, use it. Its more efficient, crashes less, and has full functionality. If you're just running one or two scripts, or writing your own, or there is no way you can use a Linux live CD or Virtual Machine, this is an alternative - the inverse of Wine, after a fashion (and it works about as reliably). Its free, so its absolutely worth a try if you are looking for this sort of solution.
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"Fundamentally flawed concept"
Version: Cygwin 1.5.25-14
Pros
None that I know of
Cons
- Fundamentally flawed concept
- It never goes awaySummary
As a computer consultant, certain clients have forced me to use Cygwin on & off for decades. It's main idea is to put a layer of Unix-like software on MS-Windows, sort of like pouring chocolate syrup on a cow pie. It may smell all Unixy-chocolatty, but underneath it's still just Windows.
Cygwin is kept alive by Unix (and more recently Linux) bigots who are forced to work on Windows and don't want to learn it. Within limits, Cygwin allows their favorite Linux tools to work in Windows. The problem is the oddball corner cases where you just can't hide the difference make more trouble than the system is worth. One recent example I had was a large build script on which failed on Cygwin. It was fixed by the console command "rename makefile makefile". This should do nothing, but since Linux file names are case sensitive and Windows is not, this will rename "Makefile" to "makefile" (lower case m) and make the script work. Minor nits like this can eat days of your time. There are better ways to handle this. Cygwin is not worth the pain.
Other problems with Cygwin are the size (~2 Gigs - three times bigger than an Ubuntu CD!!!), and the many hours to download and install, even over a T1 line.
When you need to run Linux software on windows, It's much better to use a Virtual machine, like VMware and Sun Virtual Box to run Fedora. Share a drive, use "putty 127.1" to make a windows console on the Linux box, and you can do ANYTHING Cygwin can and much more, with all the reliability and features of Real Linux. The only reason to use Cygwin is if some Luddite client, partner or boss forces you to. When this happens, make sure you charge them extra. -
"Great help in reviewing."
Version: Cygwin 1.5.25-14
Pros
Able to get practice in and actually develope some scripts nicely.
Cons
Wish I could do more with some of the features not supported.
Summary
Great product and the price is right!
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"Fast, accurate, well written bash emulator... WONDERFUL!!"
Version: Cygwin 1.5.1
Pros
Relieves me (and my files) from moving between platforms and frustration. Gives you full control on what you do (unlike Windows), just like any UNIX shell.
Cons
I wish it had the C shell and/or the K shell for more versatility.
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"feeling good to use cygwin"
Version: Cygwin 1.5.1
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"Excellent Develoment Tool"
Version: Cygwin 1.5.1
Pros
This is an excellent tool for developing *nix applications while still running Windows. It feels just like working on a real unix shell.
Cons
The installer could have been simplified more - You have to know exactly what you need to get it. But then again, don't judge a program by its installer :P
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"Fantastic: replaces MKS, Hummingbird eXceed, PUTTY and MS SFU 3.0"
Version: Cygwin 1.3.22-1
Pros
Latest versions of Perl, Bash, vim, Xwindows, ssh, scp, gcc, g++, and vnc. Really like the new package selection program. Switch to Full View when selecting which components you want to install and just rerun the setup to add or delete pieces.
Cons
Version from this site (download) is out of date. Get latest downloader/setup program directly from cygwin.redhat dot com.
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"Very useful!"
Version: Cygwin 1.3.22-1
Summary
Excellent unix bash shell emulator. Big files are handled well, and behavior is up to tasks. Highly recommend!
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"greatest thing for people who just have to use windows"
Version: Cygwin 1.3.22-1
Summary
Installation is slow and you have to choose which packages you want to install and you have to know what these packages do. Go to the cygwin website for detailed instructions. Don't forget to put C:\cygwin\bin\ into the path to run ls and rm in normal DOS mode. Other than that Cygwin is great, it's great for people who have no option but to use windows and for those who wish to transition into it.
PS-Certain sites don't work, just try a different one if the download doesn't start.
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