Re: Linux Vs. FreeBSD

> What easy to use method does Windows use to install such packages?

Near-complete binary and point-and-click installation tool
compatibility between all recent versions so that if the program exists
for Windows, the same binary with a point-and-click installer will
install on any recent version. I know there are some instances where
this is not the case, but these are the exception, not the rule. Also,
the design of the OS and generally accepted means of packaging
software. This method is to basically include all DLLs in every
package and if necessary have multiple concurrent versions of the same
DLL running simultaneously. This wastes memory and hard drive space,
both of which are cheap and are getting cheaper. Therefore, it is
clumsy and inefficient from a back end perspective. However, it is
simple and elegant from an end-user perspective, in that almost any
program can be installed with just a few clicks, as soon as it is
released, regardless of what *modern* flavor of Windows you're running.
Also, having to either package the same program for every distro, have
centralized repositories, and/or have the user manually resolve
dependencies is clumsy and inefficient too, just in different ways.

To be fair, though, Windows does have it easier in that there are only
a few modern flavors of it, namely 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and maybe
marginally ME and 98 (if you want to consider these modern). Linux has
about a zillion modern flavors. On the other hand, though, given that
upgrades are generally inexpensive or free and therefore users of Linux
generally don't resist them as much as users of Windows, I'm sure in
the Linux world view, a distro from 2000 or even 2003 is not considered
modern and therefore generally not a high priority when it comes to
making sure new software works on it, nor should it be.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Error 8000FFFF when WU search for updates
    ... transaction due to file in use or Component reboot required, package changes ... pending xml and registry identifiers ... This is because another update within the same install transaction ... The "Windows Features" dialog box is empty in Windows Vista, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsupdate)
  • Re: Setup Error on Friends Computer
    ... Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 6.0 ... Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 6.0 ... You try to install a Microsoft Visual ... Basic 6.0 application that you package by using the Package and Deployment ...
    (microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion)
  • Re: Open Office
    ... Portableapps.com's official release of each package is usually a minor release ... RE: linux. ... Especially as WINE (the windows emulator that lets you run windows programs) ... install on Linux will average 10x as long as on winders. ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
  • Re: Stop hitting yourself!
    ... In the package system it Gimp 2.2. ... of the dependencies and then compile and install. ... In the Windows world, ...
    (comp.graphics.apps.gimp)
  • Re: Vista update KB938371 fails to install. error code 80073715
    ... I looked it up at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947562 and find that it is described as "May 2008 Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility Update". ... After successfully installing KB947562 and rebooting, I tried once again to install KB938371 using the installer package Windows6.0-KB938371-v2-x86.msu. ... Since the download will not install whether by automatic or a manual update, I strongly suspect McAfee as the culprit. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsupdate)