>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 :(

The virtue of having it in Smalltalk means we can build it as simply 
or with as much complexity as is warranted.  A two-file install is 
precisely what I am suggesting, so the first consideration is a 
non-problem.  The second does not seem to me to present any 
substantial difficulty, although I have no idea why putting it in the 
Start Menu is any priority.  (I tend to get pissed off when a setup 
program presumes to do that for me.)

Right now, the only problem we seem to be having is the difficulty 
folks seem to have downloading the text files correctly.  The 
proposed solution solves the problem just fine and in addition 
facilitates, rather than adding unnecessary complexity to, the 
release process of new Squeak versions.  This seems to me to be a 
good thing.