Re: SEUL: TurboLinux

[Kai Wetzel <k.wetzel@welfen-netz.com>]

Paul Anderson wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 17 Aug 1997, Loren S Osborn wrote:
> 
> > The package that you have requested, <pkg name>, requires package
> > <pkg a> to function.  I happen to have a copy dated <pkg a date> on the
> > SEUL CD-ROM.  This package requires <pkg a size> (bytes/K/MB/?GB?) of space
> > on it's target partition.  That partition has <disk free> (same units)
> > availible.  I can:
> >
> They still won't get that dialog box.  Install without asking, or say:
> 
> You have selected package x.y.z, this package requires packages z.y.x and
> y.x.z,
> Installing package z.y.x........
> Installing package y.x.z..........
> Installing package x.y.z...........

Well, imagine Joe downloaded MineSweeperPro from an ftp site,
he knows how to surf the web from work, after all, so now
he wants to install and play the game.

In order to do that he drags the "mspro.rpm" icon from the
file manager to the app launcher button which reads "SEUL
installer" where he releases the mouse button (Joe
learnd about DnD on W'95, it took him some days to grasp
the concept but now he manages DnD quite well)

After releasing the mouse, the installer pops up,
[...]

The feedback window reads:
You are about to install package Mine Sweeper Pro, V.3.11,
this package requires packages DPS, V.5.0, flex, V.x.0 and
yacc, V.x.0.

Installing package ...

Despite that Joe didn't have his SEUL CD in slot "D:",
the game Joe is about to install obviously requires Display
PostScript and some other tools, totalling in a couple
of MBs.

It is IMO very likely that Joe would think twice whether he
really wants that 120KB package installed ...

> There, they should get the sense of that...  If the disk's full, it's
> full.  Just have the package selector know how much disk space the package
> and it's dependancies take up, and when the user selects a package, it has
> a text box on the screen like:
> 
> Installing to Drive /dev/hda1(C:)
> Free Space: 900 megabytes, Space that will be used by installing the
> packages you have selected: 700 megabytes, this will leave 200 megabytes
> of disk space free after install.
> 
> And have them updated as the user selects and deselects packages on the
> screen, so they know what they're doing.  TTYL!

Hmm, IMO the whole situation will occur when the user either
decided to use the "custom intall" option, installs a package
from CD _after_ first installation, or downloaded a package
from the net and wants to install it.

In the latter case, the installer would even have to
ask the user to put the SEUL CD in the CD-drive before
it could proceed.

Why not say something like

"The package(s) you selected require the following
packages from your SEUL CD to run:

Package A : 1032 KB
Package B :  342 KB

Do you want to install these packages, too ?

(Push buttons:)                 (Default: Ok)
[Help]                 [Cancel]  [-->Ok<--] 
---
Now if the answer was "Ok", a dialog would pop
up if the SEUL CD isn't where it belongs.

I don't see why this is too complicated.  Most of SEUL
users should be familiar with clicking on some buttons on
the screen, and if he/she has no clue, he just hits "return",
as usual ;°)

Of course, the "Default" installation should include quite
some of the packages which other things depend on very often,
even if non of the "default" apps do.  (Athena, flex, yacc, ...)

Well, 'nough said,
kai

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