Re: MSDOS name conversion
"behan (b.) webster" <behanw@bnr.ca) wrote on 13.02.96 in <"8923 Tue Feb 13 17:33:10 1996"@bnr.ca>>:
> >Anyway, I don't see why you want to have some people jump through hoops to
> >prevent others from imaginary problems.
>
> Those problems are no more imaginary than the ones you brought up.
Let's see ... I'll omit things I have no trouble with.
> The current system with large files for each package:
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> PRO:
> - fewer files (less adminstrative overhead)
Very marginally less overhead for whoever administers master.debian.org,
no difference for anybody else.
> - dpkg/dselect/dftp don't need to change (not that they aren't going to
> change anyways for other reasons)
Dpkg/dselect is already fine.
> - for floppy users, depending on the split/splice program and
> capabilities of the machine you're installing debian on, you can
> automatically split a file optimally onto a set of disks and then
> automatically splice them together at the other end. (e.g., using
> DOS utils like: pkzip, arj, slice)
This "optimal" split is a nearly microscopic advantage, offset by the need
to have a suitable program in the first place, and to know how to use it,
which is non-trivial.
> Split every package into 1.44M (1.2M) pieces:
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Smaller is probably better, a little smaller than what fits on a 720 K
disk is probably good (I think we can safely forget about 360 K disks, but
I believe about 2/3 of my floppy piles are 720 K).
> CON:
> - should they split into 1.44M chunks or 1.2M chunks?
See above.
> - still have to manually copy each file onto the disk (several DOS based
> split programs will do it for you: pkzip, arj, slice...)
And woe to you if one of your disks goes bad, you can then start again
from scratch ...
> - 2-4 times the number of files. (administrative overhead)
See above.
> - changes to dpkg, dselect and dftp
Dftp only, I believe. After all, we've got dpkg-split for some time now.
> Anyone using the following mechanisms don't benefit at all from pre-split
> up files:
> - those with good phone lines
I have good enough phone lines. However, some uplinks above the lines
sometimes go bad - I expect that's true for a lot of people, at least
outside the US.
As I'm using mirror to download, it's not that bad, but it's still not
nice.
> - those who use a network to install/upgrade debian
See above.
> All I know is that I'm sure glad I don't have to maintain my debian system
> from floppy!
Seconded.
MfG Kai
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