On Sat, Feb 16, 2008 at 18:25:53 +0000 (+0000), Andy Smith wrote:
> Hi Stephen,
>
> On Sat, Feb 16, 2008 at 03:14:06PM -0000, Stephen Pelc wrote:
> > We're just about to take VFX Forth for Linux to Beta stage.
> > Coming from the Windows world, I'm fed up with the Linux
> > installers! The rpm and deb system is fine for distros and the
> > like, but hopelessly inadequate for third party apps.
>
> Why, out of interest?
Seconded. My experience of 3rd party installers is dreadful. In
general:
1) I have no idea what they are going to do - they could well nuke /usr
2) As they generally don't integrate with the OS package mangement
(deb, rpm etc) I cannot track the files
3) They generally ship with their own libraries which generally make
_more_ hassle not less. Like all the programs shipping with an old
version of Java JRE (_why_?) which then broke on newer boxes...
4) "One click install" If the sysadmin can't install a .deb or a .rpm
the customer needs a new sysadmin IMO
If you really, really must go this route, the only one I have any time
for is a tarball with .debs and an "install script" which just
installs it. Hardly seems worth the effort IMO.
If you want "one package which can install everywhere" then you should
really be aware of the various differnces - if you haven't tested on
the particular release of that distribution you might have problems
(namely library versions).
Adrian
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