Hi;

Getting back into Squeaking, I downloaded a fresh copy of Squeak2.4,
unzipped it in a new directory and started Squeak.

Since it had been some time since this version had been made, I thought an
update from the server would be in order, so I started it up.

Some 100+ files later I get a pink box (some key is missing). I hit procede.

Some many many minutes and some files later, more pink boxes - each got a
proceded.

Next, I was politely asked if some class could be moved into the unused
category while some other class was still using it. The first time I said
yes, and it went bad pretty fast after that. The second time, after I had
reinstalled everything, I said no (I actually have done all this 3 times).

Ok, so on with the "yes" path.... more minutes, more pink boxes, more
procedes.

At last, we come to one called "Wonderland Constants". This one throws many
fits, finally culumnating in my having to kill the update.

So... I wanted the rest of the updates, so I started the update again. This
time, the very next file (?Wonderlandconstantinit?) seemed to go into an
infinitate loop about 85% of the way through whatever it was doing. This
required the intervention of the task manager to kill Squeak.

For those of you still awake, I won't bore you with the rest of the story,
except to say that i'm still updateless in Seattle.

I looked on the Swiki, and the only "off net" update procedure that was
offered was the suggestion that I manually download some 300+ files from a
website (no ftp access was mentioned so it would have to be file by file
afaik), then manually file them into Squeak one by one... oh my! (where did
I put my Camel book ;-)).

So.. how/what do I do now?

It would be nice if a newish image was available.... maybe a new one
monthly could be posted somewhere, then the number of updates from server
would be less and thus potentially less room for something to go awry.

Another nice idea is to zip up all the source update files, possibly
renewing it on a monthly basis - along with a nice variation of the update
app that could take updates from a local file (I have a 28.8 dialup - I
live at the speed of telephone) instead of the net. This is especially nice
if you feel the need to do it all 3 times to demonstrate that it really
isn't working right.

As for the updater itself, is there any way to exercise some control over
it? Are there any options? I was wishing tonight for an option that did a
snapshot after each update so that if an update did croak Squeak on the
n+232nd update file, at least i'd have the n+231st updates done.

All of the above happened on a Windows NT Workstation 4.0sp4 with a vanilla
copy of Squeak24.zip that I got from squeak.org. Only nerve fibers where
frazzled in the making of this epic.

Any assistance/ideas/HELP!! greatfully accepted - please write soon :)

Sincerely,

Dave LeBlanc