Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!bionet!parc!sanders
From: sanders@parc.xerox.com (Rex Sanders)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: How the System Installer Works (Important)
Keywords: Installer
Message-ID: <1991Jan16.235950.16515@parc.xerox.com>
Date: 16 Jan 91 23:59:50 GMT
References: <85@sierra.STANFORD.EDU>
Sender: news@parc.xerox.com
Distribution: comp.sys.mac.apps
Organization: Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
Lines: 21

In article <85@sierra.STANFORD.EDU> siegman@sierra.STANFORD.EDU (siegman) writes:
(refers to Apple Installer not checking/replacing all System resources)
> [It also strikes me as the WRONG way to do things, but that's
>another matter.]  It may be the solution to a lot of mysterious
>problems with applications and with Mac systems generally.

This is NOT the wrong way to do things.  By using the Installer you can
update your System from version x to y WITHOUT having to dance with the
Font/DA mover, or re-installing your Ethernet driver.  With the present
behavior, I can tell people to update their System version by handing
them several floppies, and saying "Boot off System Tools; double-click
Installer; follow on-screen instructions".

Now, if your System is *damaged*, then what should happen?  Trash your
Fonts, DAs, and other unusual widgets?  How do you distinguish between
a "good" resource, "bad" resource, and "modified-by-user-for-good-reason"
resource?

Opinions from:

-- Rex Sanders