[squeak-dev] a Cog BASH install script, please (as opposed to using 'make install')

Eliot Miranda eliot.miranda at gmail.com
Mon Jun 16 01:08:17 UTC 2014


Hi Chris,


On Sun, Jun 15, 2014 at 10:52 AM, Chris Cunnington <brasspen at gmail.com>
wrote:

> The short answer (could be wrong):
>
> Almost nobody can compile Cog from sources. That means that almost nobody
> can install Cog in the appropriate way on Linux. This means a BASH script
> that does what "make install" does would be a good thing.
>
>
> The long answer (still could be wrong):
>
> I ranted recently about installer scripts for VMs. Afterward I wasn't even
> sure what I was talking about. I was sure I'd seen two expert programmers
> have a hellish time trying to install Cog on Linux servers. I don't have
> that problem, because I don't install. I just put the vm on the command
> line and use.
>
> When I suggested to these programmers that they should do the same, if
> they could have reached through the screen, they would have slapped me. But
> what was going on?
>
> They both tried to compile Cog from sources, not because it's a fun thing
> to do, but in hindsight, I think they were doing it, because they thought
> it was the only way to install it on Linux. You need to execute:
>
> make
>
> before you can install:
>
> make install
>
> If they could have just done the second part, I think they would have. But
> I think it necessitated the first part. Perhaps pre-compiled Cog binaries
> should come with a Makefile for "make install"?
>

I have to say I'm surprised by this.  To install a Cog VM, simply download
one of the archives from my site (e.g.
http://www.mirandabanda.org/files/Cog/VM/VM.r3003/coglinuxht-14.24.3003.tgz),
unpack it using tar xzvf coglinuxht-14.24.3003.tgz, and run
coglinuxht/squeak.  You may want to add a sources file to
the coglinuxht/lib/squeak/4.0-3003/ directory there-in (not included to
save space).  But other than that the install is straight-forward.

I remember watching one programmer do it and talk on Squeak IM at the same
> time. The consensus with another expert level programmer was that Eliot's
> way ( Hi, Eliot !) of building VMs was particular to him and not really a
> process for wide consumption. What does that mean? I have no idea. If you
> want to comb through the Squeak IM transcripts of the last four-five
> months, you'll find it.
>

My way of building linux VMs is the autoconf way that Ian Piumarta wrote,
that seems to work for me.  I'm told CMake is an improvement and that's on
its way (thanks to Timothy).  But that's not how I would install a VM.  I'd
download a prebuilt one, e.g. from mirandabanda.org.


HTH



> Eliot releases his VMs, which are wonderful, with a script called squeak.
> I think that's just for starting images on the command line. I went back to
> r2151 and it comes with two scripts - squeak and squeak.sh. They appear to
> do the same thing. Then I went back to r1596 to see how I successfully
> installed a VM on a Linux box in 2006. I think anybody could use "make" and
> then "make install" back then. I don't think it came with a script for
> starting on the command line.
>
> On Friday I made the squeak.org homepage run on CogSpur. I did it by
> doing horrible things to daemontools. *shiver* But I don't think I can
> install any kind of Cog linux VM on a server. I've seen two experts try and
> it was an ugly sight.
>
> Perhaps this explanation just shows my ignorance and somebody will point
> out what I don't understand. I'm ready for that.
> But if not, if the only way to install Cog is to compile Cog, then
> Houston, we have a problem.
>
> Chris
>



-- 
best,
Eliot
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