On Fri, 15 Aug 2025, Junio C Hamano wrote:
Matthias Aßhauer <mha1993@xxxxxxx> writes:
ifeq (MINGW64,$(MSYSTEM))
prefix = /mingw64
HOST_CPU = x86_64
BASIC_LDFLAGS += -Wl,--pic-executable,-e,mainCRTStartup
+ CARGO_BUILD_TARGET = x86_64-pc-windows-gnu
I've said it when Johannes originally sent this patch[1], but it bears
repeating: The *-pc-windows-gnu targets will pass CI, but would mean
raising the required Windows version from 8.1 to 10. We'd want to use
the *-win7-windows-gnu targets[2] to keep Windows 8.1 supported.
It seems that Dscho did not respond on the list to your initial
objection in the discussion you cited.
He didn't, but from various interactions surrounding Git for Windows, I do
think he's currently in favour of keeping Windows 8.1 supported in Git for
Windows.
I do not think we spell out which releases of various platforms are
still supported by us (we do list requirements for platforms in the
Platform Support Policy document, though),
We don't do that in git.git, no. Git for Windows very explicitly spells
out which versions of Windows are supported (though usually we just
mention the Desktop versions and imply the corresponding Windows Server
versions). Since 2.47.0 that is Windows 8.1 and newer Desktop releases [1]
(Windows 11 on ARM64). We even tend to announce in advance when we intend
to drop support for a Windows version.
[1]
https://gitforwindows.org/faq.html#which-versions-of-windows-are-supported
but in general we should not be attempting to give extended support to
systems that the vendor no longer supports. As Windows 8.1 is no longer
supported by Microsoft since Jan 2023, and Windows 10 will go out of
support in a few month after Oct 2025, if I am reading the table correctly,
Git for Windows has historically supported Windows Versions beyond this
date.
* XP was supported for 2 years beyond the official extended EOL. [1][2]
* Vista was supported for 5 years beyond the official extended EOL [1][3]
* 7 was supported for 4 years beyond the official extended EOL [1][4]
* 8 was supported for 8 years beyond the official extended EOL [1][5]
git.git has historically roughly followed Git for Windows in this.
You're reading the tables correctly, but there are so called LTSC releases
of Windows 10 with support until 2026/2029. [6]
[2] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-xp
[3] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-vista
[4] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-7
[5] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-8
[6]
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/ltsc/whats-new-windows-10-2021#lifecycle
so as long as we document our intention of dropping a commercial system
that is no longer supported by its vender clearly, I do not mind the
above that discards 8.1 [*].
I'm not completely opposed, but I do think it should be a concious
decision and not an unintended side effect of some change that our CI
didn't catch.
Best regards
Matthias
