Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!bellcore!rutgers!mailrus!uflorida!haven!aplcen!mimsy!eneevax!smaug
From: smaug@eneevax.UUCP (Kurt Lidl)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: Re: Amiga Roadblocks to User Friendliness
Summary: Installation Scripts and whatnot...
Keywords: AutoInstall, installation, scripts, .BAT files
Message-ID: <1910@eneevax.UUCP>
Date: 9 Dec 88 16:58:48 GMT
References: <9407@gryphon.COM>
Reply-To: smaug@eneevax.umd.edu.UUCP (Kurt Lidl)
Organization: University of Merryland, EE Computer Staff
Lines: 89

In article <9407@gryphon.COM> keithd@gryphon.COM (Keith Doyle) writes:
>[lots of stuff I don't want to comment about]
>
>Further, if a developer would like to construct an auto-install program
>that adds these new commands to the users C: directory, we have the
>problem that likely as not, the novice is using a completely packed WB
				 ^^^^^^
>floppy disk that has no room for added commands.

To say nothing about the "experienced" user.  I have had my Amiga for
just over a year, and am planning a hard disk addition soon.  Right
now, my bootdisk is over 90 percent full (with NO fonts, translator
drivers, etc on it!)
>
>And the worst problem.  Those of you who have installed programs under
>MSDOS are presumably familiar with various INSTALL.BAT programs that
>do auto installs on hard disks, many of which actually modify the
>AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS to add necessary boot-time configurations
>for the new package.

I am unfortunately EXTREMEMLY familar with the batch files available
under Messy-DOS.  I have YET (in over 5 years of experience) to see
one that will allow me to fully install programs the way I want them
to be installed.  Even worse are the executable programs to install
things, which are basically prompters for their own versions of copy...

This type of programs are TOTALLY useless.  The typical environment where
I am installing software is a large (~4 gigabyte PC-LAN network) PC based
network.  No script for installation has ever worked right the first time.
We follow fairly exacting rules on how we have packages installed, for
ease of backups and ease of use.  I just don't think it can be done
without hand-tuning each installation script.

>A similar scenario on the Amiga might be a click-on icon that installs
>a package on a hard disk.  Let's say this package needs an Assign and a
>path xxx add added to the startup-sequence, and the package is being
>installed in DH1:.

I think that the ultimate solution is to provide a interactive,
bare-CLI execute script for the installation.  Obviously, if the
user has more sophisticated needs, they will have to modify the
script for their own installation.  However, between querying the user
and making a few "rational" defaults, it shouldn't be hard to make
a general enough installation script that even the most naive user
can install the product on a hard-disk and have it WORK THE FIRST TIME!

>[lots of good comments deleted]
>So what's the answer?
>
>1. make sure commercial applications never need boot time configurations
>such as ASSIGN or PATH?  

Make damn sure that ALL the programs needed to install the application
are on that disk, and reference them as such.  IE, don't go looking
for PATH in the C: directory already there, use MyDISK:c/path to add
the path to the device...  Ad nausem with other commands.  Granted
it may be a bit slower, but it will WORK!

>2. chase startup script chains looking for something typical and adding
>in the commands automatically after ultra-warning operator?

Warn user and then add (before any endcli command) an
"execute s:myproduct" command to the last thing in the s:startup-sequence

>3. warn user that the Amiga is inherently unfriendly to novice Hard Disk
>users who are unfamiliar with the CLI, so he'd better go out and buy a
>good book, or drag his system back into his dealer and let *him* install
>it?

Bad solutions, at least in my experience.  Telling Jerry Pournelle
to get the help of a dealer/guru is one thing, but aver Joe User won't
be as lucky to be graced with the presence of Joanne Dow or another
Commodore luminary...  Some dealers are willing to help users install,
and this is a *Good Thing*.  Others barely seem capable of ordering
the correct products for you, much less installing a product.  (I
have a friend with an atrocious (sp) WB1.3 setup -- the first one
that the dealer had installed.  Almost makes me cry...)

>4. ???? (god I hope there's a 4. and maybe a 5. and 6.)

I'm all typed out.  Somebody else can answer these questions...
>Keith Doyle 					gryphon!keithd


-- 
==================================================================
==  Kurt J. Lidl  (smaug@eneevax.umd.edu)	(301)454-3184	==
==  UUCP: [seismo,allegra]!umcp-cs!eneevax!smaug		==
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