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Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 22:53:23 -0800 (PST)
From: "Peter A. Castro" <doctor AT fruitbat DOT org>
To: Cygwin List <cygwin AT cygwin DOT com>
Subject: Re: Cygwin Time Machine
In-Reply-To: <6.2.0.14.0.20050123125110.0498ed00@pop.prospeed.net>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0501232228190.16726@ming.fruitbat.org>
References: <Pine DOT LNX DOT 4 DOT 58 DOT 0501222233240 DOT 16726 AT ming DOT fruitbat DOT org> <6 DOT 2 DOT 0 DOT 14 DOT 0 DOT 20050123125110 DOT 0498ed00 AT pop DOT prospeed DOT net>
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On Sun, 23 Jan 2005, Larry Hall wrote:

> At 02:19 AM 1/23/2005, you wrote:
> >I'm probably going to regret this :)
> >
> >For some time, I've been keeping a private mirror of Cygwin for my own
> >personal use.  Unlike other mirrors, I've been keeping all of the
> >versions of all packages, along with a revision of setup.ini to go with
> >it.
> >
> >Now, call me crazy (and I know you already do :), but since Cygwin Setup
> >uses nothing more than setup.ini and the release/ directory, I thought:
> >"why not provide a historical representation of Cygwin's package from
> >which you can actually install from"?  Think of it as a time machine for
> >going back to a previous "version" of Cygwin.  And so, that's what I did.
> >
> >See  http://www.fruitbat.org/Cygwin/index.html#cygwincirca
> >
> >This provides the details of how it works.  Basically, it's a bunch of
> >timestamp based URLs which allow you to install a specific snapshot of
> >Cygwin.
> >
> >So, why am I doing this?  Well, I actually have need of this for work.
> >It saved me much time and effort, because I could install additional
> >packages at the same level of what we already had installed, thus
> >introducing less instability into our environments, and it gives us a
> >chance to gradually upgrade.  It's a cop-out, I know, and I can already
> >see people tut-tut'ing at this, but on the plus side, it's kind of neat
> >to see a form of historical review of Cygwin packages.  My mirroring is
> >done automatically each day, and the time machine is also automatically
> >regenerated along with it to keep it up to date.
> >
> >I really only did this for my work, but thought perhaps someone else
> >might find it useful or interesting.  Unfortinately, it only goes back to
> >April of 2002, though I actually have package versions going back
> >further, but not the setup.ini to go with them.  Once our work has
> >migrated to a more current Cygwin, I might remove this, but for now it's
> >useful to me.
>
> You forgot to mention the most important thing in your post.  Anybody who
> visits and uses your archive should contact you directly for any support
> issues they have with using the software.  This list can't entertain

I'm not advocating anyone post questions about problems with older
versions.  In fact, I have advocated, on this list, that people should be
at current levels and even try the snapshots before posting to the list.
If they do come to me with problems, I'd tell them to either migrate
through the revisions until either their problem went away, or they got
up to current levels, at which point, they would very likely be using
this list to address their problems. :)

> questions or help solve problems for those using software from your
> archive.  You do have wording something like this at your web page but
> you know no one ever reads documentation. ;-)

Think of it more like a library, with several copies of various books for
people to read.  Just the same, I've updated the webpage with more verbage
on the subject of what the do incase of problems.

> Good luck!

Thanks.  I'm just hoping I don't live to regret this. :)

> --
> Larry Hall                              http://www.rfk.com

-- 
Peter A. Castro <doctor AT fruitbat DOT org> or <Peter DOT Castro AT oracle DOT com>
	"Cats are just autistic Dogs" -- Dr. Tony Attwood

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