R: GDAL on windows without building GDAL from VC++

Gagan,

> We are developing a remote sensing application using GDAL on windows as
part of an > open source project.  The project cannot be called a complete
open source project, > since it would require the users of our remote
sensing application to build GDAL 
> from VC++ ( which users need to buy). 
> So our issues are:
> 1) Can we build GDAL on windows without installing a commercial software
like 
> Visual studio.net

i think we are very close to have a fully working mingw32 port
(http://www.mingw.org/)
this should give you a working alternative to msvs, but i've never tryed
it in the real world.
if you like the idea ping me to fix the remaining bug (and use 'make LIBS='
in the meanwhile)

> 2) OR , can we develop an executable from our application and require
users to just 
> install the executable without requiring the commercial software like
VC++.

you may get the pre-build library from remotesensing.org of just build
your application statically.

gdal is as free as possible!

cheers,
alessandro