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Decentralised Installation Systems

osnews.com — FOSS communities are proud of the 'bazaar' model, where anyone can join in by starting a project and publishing programs. Users are free to pick whatever software they want, provided they're happy to compile from source, resolve dependencies manually and give up automatic security/feature updates. This essay introduces Autopackage and Zero Install.

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  • honkybong, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Author of this article proposes some very good ideas on how to make a better infrastructure to distribute and maintain software packages. I believe we all would benefit from a more universal distribution means like those indeed.

    It is a very interesting reading!
  • schestowitz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2What the essay seems to miss is the fact that Linux installation, when done/chosen properly, beats all others. I'll use some examples.

    ,----[ Quote ]
    | All of this can be accomplished in Debian as follows:
    |
    | apt-get install kerry
    |
    | Phew, that was tricky. I can see why those windows guys find Linux
    | sooo difficult. It is waaaaay easier to go to some random website,
    | download an installer, pray that it is safe, double-click on the
    | installer, click "Yes, I do agree to all of these outrageous license
    | terms and I don't mind that it includes spyware, and adware", click
    | Next, Next, Next, and finally reboot a couple of times.
    `----

    http://benhay.blogspot.com/2006/11/thing-about-beagle.html


    Free Agent: How to Compile Free Software Apps

    ,----[ Quote ]
    | Let me start with a controversial statement: Installing
    | new software is almost always easier on Linux than on
    | Windows or the Mac OS.
    `----

    http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,127601-c,linux/article.html

    Some more related proofs:

    Installing Microsoft Script Debugger in Windows Vista, 10 MB
    http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/84-web-developers-microsoft-has-no-idea-whats-going-on


    Simple Package management with Synaptic Package Manager in Ubuntu
    http://www.debianadmin.com/simple-package-management-with-synaptic-package-manager-in-ubuntu.html


    Installation on Vista, OSX, and Ubuntu
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=xA7cP-qpdlI


    I am not sure the submitter will agree with me because he recently trolled GNU/Linux (too late to mend the damage), having praised Vista.
  • honkybong, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1and?
  • fox785454avhi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The article is about *decentralised* installation systems. Try your example with a package that isn't in Debian, e.g.:

    $ apt-get install plash
    Reading Package Lists... Done
    Building Dependency Tree... Done
    E: Couldn't find package plash

    The article's thesis is that Free software requires the ability to redistribute. If users can only install 'approved' packages, then they are denied this freedom.

    Similarly, it'll be 'easy' to install an operating system on future hardware locked-down with DRM: just insert the Windows CD in the drive and boot the machine. Oh, you didn't want Windows? Tough.
  • jenkins86, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Just a notice to all Diggers: Thom Holwerda is an editor at OSNews.com.

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