Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!ccut!wnoc-tyo-news!astemgw!icspub!creamy!iegva1!mew_hp!saturn!srl!moore From: moore@srl.mew.mei.co.jp (W. Phillip Moore) Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin Subject: Re: Software installation opinions needed Message-ID: Date: 21 Sep 90 00:17:32 GMT References: <25908@shamash.cdc.com> <1990Sep19.144819.12179@dg-rtp.dg.com> Sender: news@saturn.srl.mew.mei.co.jp Followup-To: comp.unix.admin Organization: Semiconductor Research Lab, Matsushita Electric Works Lines: 41 In-reply-to: hackwort@dg-rtp.dg.com's message of 19 Sep 90 14:48:19 GMT The above discussion (not included here for sanity's sake) has made some very important points. Most notably, the installer should have the maximum degree of flexibilty when installing a new software package. I agree completely. I can't stand it when I am forced to alter my system to fit the software package, and this is something I am often forced to do by many of the vendor's for the LSI CAD software we use here. However, I see one minor point overlooked. The reason many of these installations are simple and over-automated is because not all sites have UNIX gurus who have customized their network to the point where it is so unique that it doesn't remotely resemble anyone else's. A lot of default assumptions are necessary because there are actually a lot of machines/systems in use out there which pretty much were taken out of the box, turned on and left as is. To speak up for the poor scientist/engineer who is not a UNIX guru, but wants to install some new toy in their machine and use it without reading 1000 pages of system manuals (these people do exist and have nothing to be ashamed of), I suggest that both a highly customizable installation, as well as a push-here-dummy type of approach should be offered. Mr. Kandler complains that suninstall is too automatic and hides what is happening from the installer. True, this is annoying for some, but makes the installation possible for many who are not complete UNIX guru's. I think that both approaches are *necessary* if a software distributor wants to keep everyone happy. If the installer is a non-expert UNIX user (like the scientist types mentioned above) and they have to answer 100 customization questions about system intricacies they may or may not be completely familiar with, the installation may take forever, and one question/parameter not done correctly may mean the software won't work. One software package which my life depends on, but which (and I don't want to start a Jihad over this -- I love GNU software) is GNU-Emacs. I challenge a novice UNIX user to get Gnu-Emacs up and running on a wierd machine without a lot of grief. W. Phillip Moore Phone: 06-908-1431 LSI Research Group FAX: 06-906-7251 Semiconductor Research Laboratory E-mail: moore@mew.mei.co.jp Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. 1048 Kadoma, Osaka 571, Japan