Message-ID: <B0000083209@stargate.astr.lu.lv>
From: "Andris Pavenis" <pavenis AT lanet DOT lv>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il>, djgpp-workers AT delorie DOT com
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 18:27:54 +0300
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Subject: Re: LBInstDJ
CC: "Laurynas Biveinis" <lauras AT softhome DOT net>
References: <ab9210eb DOT 2443acf8 AT aol DOT com>
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Reply-To: djgpp-workers AT delorie DOT com

Hi!

I agree that modifying autoexec.bat is not a simple thing. So some thoughts
about it:

	- we can check whether required directory is on the path and ask user 
          to add it manually and reboot if needed (perhaps asking user to reboot).       
         Some hints for novices would  be nice. If  some library like TVision will be
         used then we could even  invoke editor from setup program. Use of
         something like TVision could be nice also for other things discussed below.
         Such check could be repeated while there are problems. The same is about 
         DJGPP environment variable.

  	-  It also would be nice to include in install program functionality currently
          covered by zip picker. Perhaps additional data file with description
          of DJGPP packages and their dependances would be best. Also 
          install program must warn if such file is too old and suggest to download
          a new one. Of course it's up to user to get required zip files.

       -   I think also possibility to remove some packages and install new ones
           into existing installation would be nice

These are some of the things I would like to see in DJGPP installation program.
Perhaps this list is very far from being complete. 

Andris


On 13 Apr 99, at 10:02, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

> 
> On Mon, 12 Apr 1999 Kbwms AT aol DOT com wrote:
> 
> > It is through bitter experience that I warn of the unknown dangers that
> > lurk out there.  There is simply nothing to be gained by venturing into
> > uncharted waters by changing a critical device like autoexec.bat.  It is
> > better to tell the user what has to be done and let it go at that.
> 
> IMHO, if we accept this, the whole idea of the installer is null and
> void.  After all, we already *tell* the user, and IN SO MANY WORDS,
> how to edit their configuration files.  And they still fail to do it
> right, even when they *do* read the docs.  What exactly will be gained
> by having a program which tells it yet again?  I expect to see the
> same amount of complaints and FAQs on c.o.m.d., only this time they
> _will_ have an installer to complain about.
> 
> Today's users are spoiled by a clickable install.exe that magically
> does everything, even reboots if necessary.  A program that tells them
> to do it by themselves won't have any added value whatsoever, even if
> it writes down a tentative autoexec.bat, since this is NOT what they
> expect from the garden variety install.exe.
> 
> Now, I'm well aware of the potential hazards in making a good
> installation program for DJGPP.  Why do you think we don't have one in
> the first place?  The complexities involved, and the danger of
> breaking a working system setup are *precisely* the reason why I
> refused to write an installation program for the GNU MS-DOS/MS-Windows
> CD-ROM when I worked on that.  I think all of the people involved in
> this discussion have enough experience on their hands to know how hard
> this is.  (And note that we didn't even begin to talk about systems
> like Windows/NT and the surprises of multiple autoexec.bat files in
> Windows 98...)
> 
> But this is exactly the challenge of writing a good installer: how do
> you _handle_ all these complexities in a reasonable way that makes
> most users happy.  If we think that this undertaking is too dangerous,
> let's just quit now and not make the situation worse.
>