Sender: nate AT cartsys DOT com
Message-ID: <3637F2A9.97A150DA@cartsys.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 20:44:25 -0800
From: Nate Eldredge <nate AT cartsys DOT com>
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: C++ with DJGPP
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Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com

Mike Ruskai wrote:

> >I personally agree that editing a text file is a trivial thing to get
> >right, but there are total newbies out there.  Someone is sure to edit
> >it with Microsloth Word, and then complain that DJGPP doesn't work.  And
> >if the user uses something like RHIDE, they don't even need to know how
> >to write/edit a text file.
> 
> I submit that someone so ignorant is best prevented from inflicting upon the
> world any prorams which by luck alone are compiled.

Okay, I see your point, but I think it's probably a good thing to
minimize the additional knowledge/skills prerequisite to DJGPP.  Some
computer-illiterate people will probably learn as they go, if only they
can get started.  Your statement comes across as somewhat elitist.

> No, you're still missing the point entirely.

Oh, wait.  So your solution is something like having the zip contain
short names, and then running a script when installing which renames
them all to their long names?  Okay, *that* makes more sense.  Sorry, I
think I'm slow today.

That has the slight disadvantage that it requires an extra installation
step which might be forgotten.  On the other hand, if missed, it could
be done when you notice that things don't work.  Bad unzipping requires
that you nuke the installed package and try again.  And, yes, I see it
would work on non-LFN platforms as well, it just wouldn't have any
effect, since the names are truncated.  People who didn't RTFM might be
more likely to lose, though that might be a good thing, and save them
from subtler problems later on.

I don't see why you should need to change the headers at all, actually;
#include <streambuf.h> will work equally well on vanilla 8+3 and
Windows/LFN=Y.  OTOH, people who leave LFN=N would have to set it =Y
when they run the script, or else they lose, so it might not gain all
that much.

I suppose the other tricky bit is that the people creating the package
have to generate the script.  But it could presumably be somehow
automated.

Yes, I think that makes quite a lot of sense, though I'm not entirely
sure how the newbie factor would affect it.  What do others think?

If I've misunderstood your proposal yet again, sorry.
-- 

Nate Eldredge
nate AT cartsys DOT com