# Re: pcap library install on windows without c compiler

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-pcap-library-install-on-windows-without-c-compiler/61039>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [May 19, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-pcap-library-install-on-windows-without-c-compiler/61039 "2006-05-19T15:46:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-pcap-library-install-on-windows-without-c-compiler/61039/1 "2006-05-19T15:46:51Z")

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> Better to use MINGW/MSYS than Cygwin. Cygwin is … not a good choice  
> most of the time with Windows.

I’ve heard of MINGW, but not installed it on my system - Cygwin drives  
me mad once every three months, but otherwise , it’s ok.  
Can you say what MINGW/MSYS do better ?

Best regards,

Axel

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/re-pcap-library-install-on-windows-without-c-compiler/61039/2 "2006-05-19T16:02:24Z")

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On 5/19/06, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> > Better to use MINGW/MSYS than Cygwin. Cygwin is … not a good choice  
> > most of the time with Windows.  
> > I’ve heard of MINGW, but not installed it on my system - Cygwin drives  
> > me mad once every three months, but otherwise , it’s ok.  
> > Can you say what MINGW/MSYS do better ?

It doesn’t pretend to be Unix. It provides a shell and a compiler that  
provides somewhat more usable results than Cygwin does, as long as  
you’re not having to deal with fork() and a couple of other things.

-austin