using Windows in VM

[Bjoern Michaelsen]

Hi,

On Sun, Mar 04, 2012 at 11:30:08AM +0100, Cor Nouws wrote:
> I have the idea that it might be useful to consider encouraging devs
> on Linux to use Windows in a VM.
> I know that some of the devs are actively using Windows build
> environments, but also that others haven't even a running Win OS to
> check certain issues.
> Setting up a VM is not a big deal, and if needed the Board could
> step in paying for licences.
> It would make checking / communicating on certain issues much
> easier. Checking yourself is more direct and often not much more
> work than commenting that you cannot, and hope that others will shed
> some light on it etc. Well, I could continue with listing other
> advantages.

While that is all true, I wonder if it really hits the core of the problem. A
developer would usually want to go fixing the bug and for that he would not
only need a LibreOffice install, but instead a whole development environment to
make debug build of effected libraries etc. And even with such a setup the
build times are much longer and the deployment is much more clumsy than on
Windows.

It would only be worth it if we not only have licenses, but a ready-to-use VM
image with a complete windows build environment. That might also help to get
traction with Windows developers new to the project. However, it is also a lot
of work -- not only to create it, but also to keep it up to date.

Getting the resources for that task (setting up a image with a complete build
env) is the tough one here IMHO.

Best,

Bjoern