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From: nick_andrew%713.602@fidogate.fido.oz (Nick Andrew)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: compression + distribution
Message-ID: <14646@nswitgould.cs.uts.oz>
Date: 5 Sep 89 22:45:46 GMT
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Original to: ast@cs.vu.nl
One distribution for all is fine. So is using 360k disks
(even if it does make the package very bulky).  Compressed
tarfiles would be a problem though ...

The fact is, installing on hard disk isn't quite the
cut&dried procedure it should be. And compressed tarfiles
(esp. LARGE, multi-volume ones) are useless unless one has a
hard disk on which to un-tar it. I would tend to prefer
distribution in pure compressed form - but each disk
containing a filesystem.

Also, my opinion of the various tools & utilities people
have written & ported to Minix over 2.5 years is that there
is too much to include as part of "base" Minix.  In
Australia, Minix 1.2 or 1.1 (?) from Dymocks costs $350.
Another 10 disks would no doubt push this price over $400.
(Australian ... say US$300 is an equivalent ...)

This problem could be alleviated by distributing the "minix
tools" through another source 
(Usenet, BBSs, even mail-order or public domain) ... where
people can get what tools they want/need.

Regards to all,
        Nick.
--- Zeta
 * Origin: Zeta: Unix, Minix, Xenix support (02) 627-4177 (3:713/602)