Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wuarchive!texbell!uudell!loft386!dsuvax!ghelmer From: ghelmer@dsuvax.uucp (Guy Helmer) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix Subject: Re: The Upgrade Process Message-ID: <1990Mar24.222551.4508@dsuvax.uucp> Date: 24 Mar 90 22:25:51 GMT References: <14589@nigel.udel.EDU> <589@fsu.scri.fsu.edu> <3867@plains.UUCP> Organization: Dakota State University Lines: 41 In article <3867@plains.UUCP>, overby@plains.UUCP (Glen Overby) writes: > In article <589@fsu.scri.fsu.edu> nall@sun8.UUCP (John Nall) writes: > >So the original thesis still holds: there should be an easier method for > >someone who is a bona-fide purchaser of Minix to upgrade without having > >to wait for P-H to officially begin selling a new version. I have no > [...] > > OK, so let's work on improving what we have. What are the problems with the > upgrades? Why is it difficult? > > Andy posts uuencoded, compressed shars of context diffs for each > directory. The prospective upgrader has to learn : > > (1) how to get the upgrade (if you're not on the internet, you'll > find dealing with listserv to be an, uh, enlightening experience). > (2) how to get the file to wherever you're going to work on it > (like downloading it to Minix) > (3) how to decode the file (uudecode | uncompress | unshar) > (4) how to apply the diffs (patch <*.cdiff) Not only this, but upgrading essentially requires (1) a _lot_ of free disk space for old source, patches, and then new source (2) a h*ll of a lot of patience and luck (for pre-1.5 patches) > It's always going to take some brainpower and time to upgrade from the net, > not to mention using non-AST stuff from the net. There will also always be > people asking for special hand-holding, even if you tell them EXACTLY what > commands to type in. > -- > Glen Overby > uunet!plains!overby (UUCP) overby@plains (Bitnet) I suppose I whine too much, but even though I am a hacker-type, I don't have much time to spend on Minix. Thank goodness I have my VAX now to handle Minix upgrades on! -- Guy Helmer ...!cs.texas.edu!bigtex!uudell!loft386!dsuvax!ghelmer DSU Computing Services ghelmer@dsuvax.uucp, helmer@sdnet.bitnet "... the quickest way to kill any business is to let the government take it over." - Alan Abelson