Hi again

Installation programs differ in style and complexity depending on what
platform they are on - on a Windows machine, a proper installation program
should put a link to the program in the start menu, and provide a the
proper uninstall files, as well as changing the registry, associating
".image" files with the VM etc.  On a Unix machine, concepts such as "drag
the image file onto the VM" often don't really apply.

None of this means that a Squeak installation program can't be done, or
isn't a good idea... Some of the features it should have are, though:

* it should be packaged as one file, (VM + install image + other files), or
at most two files (VM + install image including other files), because every
extra file which must be downloaded adds unnecessary complexity.

* it should handle the requirements of installation properly - with, eg, a
Squeak icon on the start menu for Windows users.

Doing it properly would probably require extra primatives to get
information out of the system (ie which directory is the Windows
directory?) and to interact with the system (ie registry changes).

Luckily Squeak is a really simple system (at the moment) to install; so
some of the more complicated stuff shouldn't be needed.  I think an
InstallSqueak image is quite possible for Squeak; but a more general one
would need a lot of work :(

cheers

Russell

>>[Lots SNIPPED]
>> > Hey, guys, don't we know a REALLY, REALLY good machine-independent system?
>> >
>> > Why not use a tiny Squeak to bootstrap a bigger Squeak?
>>
>> > So, why not make an absolutely ultra-minimum image that is capable,
>> > say, of supporting a window, progress bar and the stream.
>>Excellent idea! I can add a few extra space savings to the pot:- with a
>>pluginised VM (currently I have almost got all the serial, sound, network
>>etc stuff as plugins) you have a small VM as well as a small image. If you
>>use the partial image loading stuff Dan did a while ago as well, then the
>>'install-image' IS the normal image, just without all the IDE stuff loaded.
>
>That's great.  Dan's stuff should make this fairly easy to do.
>(Since the VM is itself pretty small, I wonder if it isn't better
>just to make them download it once, download an installSqueak image,
>drag the image over the VM, and the next time they click on the VM --
>the regular system just autoloads.  (They are free to keep around or
>delete the installSqueak image as they see fit)).


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Russell Allen

russell.allen at firebirdmedia.com

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