Windows-style pathname does not work as command - why?

[Larry Hall (Cygwin)]

On 9/8/2010 1:24 PM, Andy Koppe wrote:
> On 8 September 2010 17:35, Larry Hall (Cygwin) wrote:
>>> Isn't the whole reason for Cygwin actually to enable doing Unixy things
>>> in Windows (that is, providing Windows/Unix interoperablity?
>>
>> No, that's not a key goal. From the Cygwin main web page:
>>
>> Cygwin is a Linux-like environment for Windows
>
> Well, I (and my employer) would not be using Cygwin if it wasn't for
> the Windows integration, in particular the ability to plug POSIX and
> Windows programs together.
>
> If I just wanted to run Linux software on Windows, I'd use a virtual
> machine or coLinux. While Cygwin's lower resource usage is nice to
> have, that's easily outweighed by the inevitable compatibility and
> performance drawbacks that come with building on top of Win32.

There are allot of different reasons people choose to use Cygwin.
However, as a product (and I'm not suggesting anything commercially
motivated here when using that term), it has some key design goals.
They are the ones I quoted from the main page on the Cygwin web site.
There are others that are secondary goals.  Interoperability
is certainly one.  But Windows/DOS-style path support is not the
"whole reason" for Cygwin as the OP suggested.  It is, rather, a
case where the primary goals of Linux compatibility require a choice
to be made and in this case the choice is POSIX-style paths trump
Windows/DOS-style paths anywhere the support cost is too high for
the latter.

The general argument of Windows interoperability in Cygwin has been
discussed on the list in the past.  I'm not trying to re-open those
threads or start a new flame war on the subject.  I'm only trying to
correct a misconception of the OP with regards to accepted path syntax.
I hope that's clear now.

-- 
Larry Hall                              http://www.rfk.com
RFK Partners, Inc.                      (508) 893-9779 - RFK Office
216 Dalton Rd.                          (508) 893-9889 - FAX
Holliston, MA 01746

_____________________________________________________________________

A: Yes.
> Q: Are you sure?
>> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
>>> Q: Why is top posting annoying in email?

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